Phillies Stay or Go: J.T. Realmuto

The first of the three-headed monster free agents for the Phillies we are going to talk about is the catcher who, quietly, might be attracting the most attention.

J.T. Realmuto will be entering his age-35 season next year and is coming off a pretty solid offensive campaign in which he hit .257 with a .315 on-base percentage.

His .700 OPS, on the other hand, was his lowest since 2015. His 16 home runs were his fewest since 2016, and his .384 slugging percentage was the lowest of his career.

Realmuto’s defensive production remained elite; he again led all catchers with a 1.86-second pop time, in innings behind the plate, and 30 runners caught stealing.

Realmuto was the best playoff hitter for the Phils. He went 6-for-17, including three RBI with his Game 1 two-run triple and Game 3 solo shot.

He may not be the same player he once was, but the Phillies’ pitching staff would not have had the success they did without Realmuto. His pitch calling and work with pitchers are some of the best in the sport. The Phils’ staff had a league-best 3.76 ERA when he was behind the plate. That is so valuable.

“I’ve had a lot of great catchers… I’ve been around [Jorge] Posada, Pudge Rodriguez for a short period of time, it goes on and on and on… this guy to me is the most prepared guy I’ve ever been around as a catcher,” Rob Thomson said about Realmuto during the end-of-season press conference. 

“He will spend hours watching video, making up his own game plan, and then matching it up with Caleb [Cotham] and talking with the pitchers. And he’s got a great feel for in-game adjustments… when to go to the mound… when to change the pitch… when to change location. I can’t put a number on it, but it’s significant. I mean, he’s just that good.” 

Realmuto’s dropoff is coming, though. He is 35, very old for a catcher. These guys do not last forever. Realmuto has dealt with some sort of minor injury every single season. Wear and tear are going to get to him eventually.

The Phillies, at some point, have to think about their future at the catcher position. There are no really good alternatives in-house. Rafael Marchan is a solid backup, but certainly not ready to take over. There is no better option than Realmuto right now in the market, either.

That right there is enough of a reason to overpay for Realmuto.

He is going to be costly. He is projected to receive a two-year, $34 million deal. That could become more, especially with how hot Realmuto’s market seems to be.

“Some rival executives expect Realmuto to draw more free-agent interest this winter than Kyle Schwarber,” Matt Gelb of The Athletic wrote. “That’s not to suggest Realmuto will receive a larger deal than Schwarber; he won’t. But the sheer number of teams interested in Realmuto could boost his market…

“It might be uncomfortable territory for the Phillies, but [Realmuto] could have enough interest to secure a three-year offer from someone.”

At the age of 35, Realmuto is one of the most valuable catchers in baseball. He is still one of the best in the league. He is going to receive a pretty ridiculous contract this offseason. And, quite frankly, the Phillies have no other choice but to re-sign him. They put themselves in that position.

FINAL VERDICT: STAY

This is not at all a knock on Realmuto. He is still a very good player. However, the Phillies need to migrate into a cheaper and younger team. Bringing Realmuto back in does not exactly help that cause. But when there is literally zero other alternative, you are stuck.

The Phillies will need to figure something out once Realmuto’s contract is up, because this will likely be Realmuto’s final contract.

Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox: