All-Star C Realmuto wants to leave Marlins

If All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto gets his way, he will no longer be a member of the Miami Marlins when the 2019 season begins.”J.T. has informed the Marlins’ ownership, he’s informed their front office, he’s not going to sign an extension in Miami,” agent Jeff Berry told MLB Network Radio on Tuesday. “It makes sense, when you have one of the more valuable trade assets in baseball, to move him. Period.”During the team’s purge after the 2017 season under new CEO Derek Jeter — after the Marlins finished 77-85 and in second place in the National League East — the five-year veteran who has played his entire career with Miami asked to be traded. The Marlins’ NL-worst 63-98 record this year must have been the last straw.”I think he will definitely be wearing a different uniform by the start of spring training,” Berry said.Eligible for arbitration in 2019 and 2020, Realmuto would become an unrestricted free agent in 2021.An All-Star selection in 2018 while making $2.9 million, the 27-year-old Realmuto batted .277 with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs, career highs in the latter two categories. His career batting average is .279, and he has 59 home runs and 243 RBIs in 540 games, all with Miami.