Report: Mets balking at price to acquire Willson Contreras from Cubs

The New York Mets haven't given up their pursuit of Willson Contreras, but the price to acquire the Chicago Cubs catcher has been too high for the team, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Contreras, 30, earned his third career All-Star nod this season and is batting .252 this year with 14 home runs and 37 RBI. Chicago and Contreras avoided arbitration in June by agreeing to a one-year, $9.625M deal, but now the catcher is due to reach free agency after the 2022 season. The Cubs are 41-58 and 14.5 games back in the NL Central.

While the Mets have been hesitant to pay up for the catcher, Heyman says the San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Rays all make sense as other teams that could hop into the Contreras sweepstakes.

Contreras has spent his entire career with the Cubs since signing with the team as an international free agent in 2009. He made his major league debut in 2016 and made his first All-Star Game appearance in 2018.

The Mets are first in the NL East with a 62-37 record, but have struggled to find consistency behind home plate. James McCann has dealt with injuries and the team has primarily relied on Tomás Nido at the position. Nido is batting .215 this season with no home runs and 16 RBI in 64 games.