Even though this year's free-agent class in Major League Baseball is headlined by Trevor Bauer and other pitchers, it seems like the most important player that could be headed to a different team is JT Realmuto.
Realmuto recently decided to decline the Philadelphia Phillies' qualifying offer as he's bound to test free agency, and while he's not going to sign anywhere at a cheap price, teams would be wise to make him a juicy offer.
Then again, which teams could actually offer him a chance to compete while also paying him top-dollar? Where could he thrive the most for the foreseable future? Let's break down the top 3 best destinations for him.
3. Philadelphia Phillies
Well, even if he declined their qualifying offer, that doesn't mean that he's a lock to leave the team. The Philadelphia Phillies are going through a major playoff drought and they know they can't afford to just lose him.
The Phillies gave away Sixto Sánchez to get him out of the Marlins. Now, he holds all the leverage as they know they're desperate to win a title and will pay whatever it takes to keep him in the City of Brotherly Love, especially after signing Bryce Harper to that massive deal.
2. New York Mets
Well, Steve Cohen has made it pretty clear that he intends to take the New York Mets back to the World Series in no time and that means that he's going to be quite aggressive in the market to land top-tier players.
Making a run at JT Realmuto will certainly make the kind of statement Cohen needs after buying the Mets, and he's got enough money to spare in a market when most owners will be wary to sign big deals due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
1. New York Yankees
And, obviously, the New York Yankees will always be a team to watch when a top-notch free agent is around, especially now that they've finally made Gary Sánchez availble in trade talks after years of erratic play.
It's clear that the Yankees could use an improvement behind the plate as well as another couple of arms for their starting rotation, and you know they won't hesitate to spend big bucks to put an end to their World Series drought once and for all.
