Contract Uncertainty Looms for Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto Going into 2025 Season

Although the offseason has come to a close and opening day is here, Phillies’ starting catcher J.T. Realmuto and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber have yet to sign contract extensions beyond the 2025 season. The Phillies are projected to have $100 million come off the payroll, roughly $40 million of that in Schwarber and Realmuto. 

These two players have been essential pieces to the last three playoff runs and will continue to be essential for the 2025 season. But they are part of an aging core and we may not see them don the red pinstripes after this season. 

J.T. Realmuto

In the offseason leading to 2021, Realmuto was coming off a strong year on both sides of the plate which earned him a five-year $115.5 million contract extension. In the four years since his extension, Realmuto has solidified himself as one of the best catchers in baseball. He has totaled 15.4 WAR from 2021-2024 and a 7th place finish in MVP voting in 2022. 

However, there has been regression since that MVP-caliber season. In 2024, the catcher battled with injury and slashed .266/.322/.429 with -7.5 framing runs. With Realmuto turning 34 at the end of spring training, his future with the Phillies remains uncertain

Although J.T. has been widely known for durability behind the plate, 4118.0 innings caught in his last four seasons, we will most likely see Rafael Marchan take on a larger role than what Garrett Stubbs had last year. Marchan was called up to split innings with Stubbs after Realmuto went down. The front office has kept their eye on Marchan and may want to see what he can bring to the big leagues, more consistently, before they decide on an extension for Realmuto. 

Luckily for Realmuto stans throughout the fanbase, there has already been interest shown by both parties for a contract extension. It makes sense for the Phillies to extend their gold-glove backstop. Internally, Realmuto is a team leader, often referred to as “the backbone” of the team by teammates, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic, and an essential piece to a World Series-contending team. Externally, the catching market is weak, and we won’t see a better two-way for quite some time. 

It would be difficult to speculate on Realmuto’s next contract details because he’s one of a kind in the league regarding his durability and age. However, you can expect him to be a top-paid catcher in the $20 million annual value tier.

If the Phillies can keep Realmuto in the red pinstripes for another year or two, it keeps the option open for Marchan to take over his role or they eat the money and take on a different contract. This will prove to be a key season for the Phillies to determine the future of their catcher position.

Kyle Schwarber 

The true, three-outcome player, Schwarber, has been vital to this Phillies team since he signed a four-year, $79 million contract. Although controversially positioned in the lineup, he has been a great lead-off hitter and an excellent veteran presence in the Phillies’ clubhouse. Dave Dombrowski spoke highly of Schwarber as a person and player when he first inked the contract.

“Somebody that’s not afraid to say things,” he said, “that leads by example, but is also willing to say things.”

In his time as a Phillie, the lefty slugger has been everything fans wanted him to be, slashing .221/.344/.488 with 131 home runs in his three seasons. He’s also been a reliable bat in the postseason, putting up a .933 OPS with the Phils. 

The 2022 and 2023 home run leader made the transition to full-time designated hitter last year but may see some more innings in the field at first base and left field to allow for flexibility and rest days. We saw this during Spring Training when Schwarber started a game at first base for the first time since 2021 with the Red Sox. He also dabbled in left for a few innings. 

The Phils and Schwarber had “broad” discussions about a contract extension this spring, Gelb said. However, nothing materialized from it. If the Phillies were to extend him, we would likely see him making over $20 million annually over three to four years. For perspective, Schwarber’s contract should be worth more than Joc Pederson’s $37 million over two years, but likely fewer years than Yordan Alvarez’s $115 million over six seasons due to age. 

Schwarber may be part of an aging core, but his value isn’t as affected by age as Realmuto’s aging will be. The Phillies will need to get Schwarber extended before he reaches free agency if they want him at a more affordable price. Typically, Dombrowski likes to keep his cards close, and Realmuto’s news only broke because he reported it himself, so don’t be surprised if there is mid-season buzz about a Schwarber extension. 

Futuristic Outlook

The Phillies will have over $100 million coming off the books after this season, which opens up a lot of possibilities. Two relievers will hit free agency at the end of the year, and outside of Schwarber and Realmuto, they only have one bat going into the market in Max Kepler. With this considered, Dombrowski may look to get active before free agency with his two core players who could hit free agency.

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