AP source: Marlins catcher JT Realmuto requests trade

MIAMI » J.T. Realmuto wants to join the Miami Marlins’ exodus.

The catcher requested a trade in the wake of the team’s payroll purge, a person familiar with the situation said Monday. The person confirmed Realmuto’s request to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because discussions with the Marlins were private.

The person said Realmuto’s agent told the Marlins trading the three-year veteran would make sense for the rebuilding team because of his high market value.

The Marlins responded that they’ll be the judge of that.

“We used the last couple of weeks continuing to lay the foundation for building a first-class, winning organization,” president of baseball operations Michael Hill said in a statement released after Realmuto’s request became public. “Should we feel like we need to make a trade involving any of our under-contract, controllable players, we will be the ones who initiate that conversation and always do what’s best for the organization.”

Miami dealt major league home run champion Giancarlo Stanton, All-Star left fielder Marcell Ozuna and major league stolen base champ Dee Gordon this month. The franchise is reducing payroll and rebooting under a new ownership group that includes Derek Jeter .

Jeter will discuss the franchise’s direction Tuesday at a town hall meeting with season-ticket holders.

Dodgers cut 2018 projected tax payroll to $181 million

NEW YORK » The Los Angeles Dodgers brought their projected 2018 payroll under the $197 million luxury tax threshold with the weekend trade that sent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, oft-injured starting pitchers Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy and infielder Charlie Culberson to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Matt Kemp.

Los Angeles will send Atlanta $4.5 million by May 1 as part of the trade announced Saturday, cutting its 2018 payroll for tax purposes to about $181 million while increasing its 2019 payroll by $20 million.

The Dodgers rid themselves of three guaranteed salaries from next year’s tax payroll that totaled $49,554,483: Gonzalez at $22 million, Kazmir at $15,554,483 and McCarthy at $12 million. Los Angeles acquired Kemp, a $20 million charge, along with the $4.5 million cash transaction.

That leaves Los Angeles with a projected luxury tax payroll that includes $122,969,286 for 10 signed players; an estimated $26 million for eight players eligible for salary arbitration; an estimated $10 million for the rest of its 40-man roster; $14,044,600 for benefits; and $8 million for the two cash transactions involving Kemp, including a $3.5 million charge for the December 2014 trade that sent him to San Diego.