There have been no talks on a contract extension between Kurt Suzuki and the Minnesota Twins, which could indicate the veteran catcher will be traded before the Aug. 1 deadline, reports Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Suzuki is nearing the end of a two-year, $12 million deal that included an option for 2017 that vests with 485 plate appearances this season. The 32-year-old is hitting .289/.327/.431 in 211 plate appearances and is currently splitting playing time with Juan Centeno.
Berardino hears the Twins are willing to deal Suzuki even though heir apparent behind the plate, John Ryan Murphy, was in a 3-for-40 slump at Triple-A Rochester as of Tuesday.
Suzuki could be of interest to a team that is looking for catching help but is balking at paying a high price for Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy.
The fate of Suzuki is one of the decisions that will be made in the upcoming weeks by Rob Antony, who takes over as interim general manager following the firing on Terry Ryan on Monday.
