The third big free agent the Phillies will need to decide on over the next few weeks is catcher J.T. Realmuto, who is 34 and fresh off leading the majors in innings behind the plate.
“He’s the most prepared catcher I’ve ever been around,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Thursday.
He's also going to probably want some kind of job security by way of a relatively long-term deal. Will he get it from the Phillies?
Here are some reasons why the Phillies should be desperate to keep him, and a few reasons why maybe they should actually let him walk…
Why he should stay:
He's defying the odds
Realmuto's power numbers have bucked a bit. His 12 homers in 2025 were his lowest single season total since 2016 and his .384 slugging percentage was the worst it's been since he came into the majors in 2014. Realmuto, however, provided plenty of offense for the catcher's spot this year hitting .257, often times in the clean up spot. At age 35 next season, his decline has been (relatively) minimal. Realmuto's defense is elite and he somehow stayed healthy enough to lead the majors in innings behind the plate. He's still one of the three or four best catchers in baseball.
What's the alternative?
Perhaps the biggest reason the Phillies will bring back Realmuto, if they do, is because they don't have his heir apparent waiting in the minors. They traded Logan O'Hoppe a few seasons ago and don't have a prospect waiting in the wings. The other options are essentially all over 30 as well. Would you rather have 35-year-old Christian Vasquez or 34-year-old Max Stassi? Rafael Marchán is a decent in-house option, but it's doubtful they'd be interested in Garrett Stubbs for 120-plus games.
His defense and pitching staff handling
In addition to his league-best 132 games playing as Phillies' backstop, he led the majors with 30 runners caught stealing. He's also always been an excellent caller of pitches too — Phils pitchers have a 3.76 ERA when he is behind the plate. For some context, only six entire teams had better ERAs in 2025. He knows the Phillies' pitching staff and gets the best out of them. That's a valuable thing.
- Phillies stay or go series
- Rob Thomson | Dave Dombrowski | Kyle Schwarber | Ranger Suárez | J.T. Realmuto | Nick Castellanos | Harrison Bader | Alec Bohm | Max Kepler | Walker Buehler | Taijuan Walker | Jordan Romano, David Robertson, José Alvarado | Rafael Marchán, Weston Wilson, Edmundo Sosa, Otto Kemp
Why he should go:
The dropoff is coming
At 35, Realmuto is nearing old age for a baseball player, especially for a catcher. Wear and tear is going to eventually claim Realmuto as a victim — he's battled minor injuries in Philly the last couple seasons but luckily nothing serious has pestered him. The Phillies are going to need to prioritize, in some manner, lining up their next catcher and Marchán, over an incredibly small sample size of 82 total games over parts of four seasons has slashed .245/.308/.394. Do they feel comfortable handing him the car keys? He's been patiently waiting for his turn in the organization for nearly a decade. His offense is passable and his defense isn't bad either.
What's a fair price?
According to Spotrac, $13 million is their fair salary estimate for Realmuto heading into next season. That would be a big discount from the $23.9 million he's earned in each of the last four seasons. If the Phillies can nab him at that salary, he's probably a pretty good investment. But other teams are in need of catching too and he will be the biggest available free agent. His price could inflate.
What about the years?
The main thing might be the length of his desired contract. He'll no doubt want a longer deal to help to provide some insurance for him as he ages. But the Phillies already have a ton of money committed to players in their mid 30s. A year or two would be a great deal for Philly. If he wants three or four, the Phils might start to look elsewhere.
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