MLB Summer Camp 2020: Latest Rumors and Injury News

J.T. Realmuto is expected to be a key piece of the Philadelphia Phillies order in the upcoming 60-game season.

The catcher's future beyond 2020 has yet to determined, as he will be one of the premier free agents this offseason. The Phillies have reportedly indicated they are willing to make a deal with Realmuto to pair him with Bryce Harper and contend for the long term in the National League East.

Yasiel Puig is not in the 60-man player pool of any squad, but he could have a handful of suitors.

Over the next few weeks, some free-agent signings will take place with injury issues and overall squad improvement in mind.

The buildup to MLB's opening weekend July 24 and 25 will also feature plenty of injury updates on stars like Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, who could be ready for the start of the campaign.

Latest Rumors

J.T. Realmuto

According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury, the Phillies "have indicated a willingness to be in that neighborhood" of $23 million per year to sign Realmuto to a long-term deal.

As Salisbury noted, the significance of that number is the average annual value of Joe Mauer's contract, which stands as the largest for a catcher.

Realmuto produced career bests in home runs, RBI, doubles and runs in his first season in Philadelphia. Securing his services is crucial for the Phillies to put a power bat behind Harper and keep up with the hitting prowess of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals in the NL East.

Phillies general manager Matt Klentak pointed out that the team loves Realmuto but may have to adjust negotiations because of potential changes in the market, per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

"The landscape that we left in March is different from the one we return to now. We just have to see how that manifests itself in our discussions. We still love the player, we'd still love to have him in red pinstripes for the long haul. But there's a lot of uncertainty in the game right now on a variety of levels. We just need to play that out."

Realmuto should be intrigued by playing with Harper and hitting inside Citizens Bank Park for the foreseeable future, but a contract may not be agreed upon right away with so much to work out just to return to play.

Yasiel Puig

According to CBS Sports' Jim Bowden, the San Francisco Giants are "expecting to be players" for Puig.

The outfielder produced 24 home runs between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland in 2019. Although he hit 22 of his long balls for the Reds, Puig had some impressive totals with Cleveland, with a .800 OPS, .297 batting average and 23 RBI.

Puig could be a more intriguing signing for National League clubs with the universal designated hitter in place. If the Giants landed him, he could turn into a decent bat in the lineup and would not take away playing time from Mike Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson and Billy Hamilton.

Injury News

Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge

The New York Yankees could have two of their top power hitters back for opening weekend.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the team is "optimistic" about Judge's spot in the Opening Day lineup, while Stanton might be game-ready for the DH role, per The Athletic's Lindsey Adler.

Judge is recovering from a fractured right rib that left his status up in the air for an April start, while Stanton was dealing with a calf strain. If both players are healthy, the Yankees may have a better chance to take the American League East crown over 60 games.

Judge and Stanton would provide more support for Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez in the heart of the order, and they could conceivably split time in the DH role if concerns arise about their injuries.

If either player gets hurt or needs a rest at any juncture of the season, the Yankees have plenty of outfield depth in Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier. But they would prefer to have the power of Judge and Stanton in there as much as possible.

Judge hit 27 home runs in 102 games in 2019, while Stanton produced three in 18 appearances after hitting 38 long balls in 2018.

Jordan Hicks

The St. Louis Cardinals will be without Jordan Hicks for the start of the 60-game season as he finishes his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery.

Cardinals manager Mike Shildt confirmed the 23-year-old would start the campaign on the injured list but revealed he could contribute in the near future, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Hicks reeled off 14 saves before suffering the injury setback in June 2019. Carlos Martinez assumed the closer role and earned 24 saves.

Shildt did not give a specific date for Hicks' return, but spoke positively about his progress, per KSDK's Rob Rains: "I don't want to throw out a date for him for a lot of reasons. He's on a good trajectory to get back."

If the duo is in place at some point, the Cardinals could use their starters for seven innings and turn over the ball directly to Hicks and Martinez to close, which could reap rewards against the lineups of the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers in key NL Central clashes.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.