The Philadelphia Phillies had three key players enter free agency this winter: Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Ranger Suarez. They have re-signed Schwarber, but still have to make decisions on Suarez and Realmuto.
Realmuto is an interesting case for the Phillies. He has declined offensively, but the Phillies may not be comfortable with making Garrett Stubbs or Rafael Marchán the primary catcher. The options on the market are not great, and outside of trading for a catcher, Realmuto may be their best option. Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer predicted that the Phillies would re-sign Realmuto, despite his age in decline.
Reamuto will be 35 by the time next season starts. He still catches regularly, catching 132 games last season. However, if that changes, the Phillies could be in a tough spot. Schwarber occupies the designated hitter spot, so Realmuto has to be able to continue catching regularly as he ages.
Last season was the first time since 2015, his first full season in the league, that his OPS+ dipped below 100. He slashed .257/.315/.384 and hit just 12 home runs. His home run numbers have gone down every year since 2022.
Defensively, Realmuto is not an elite framer or blocker. However, he still has one of the best pop times in the game and is above average in catching runners. The reality is, the Phillies may not have a better option than Realmuto right now, and he is a fan favorite. Re-signing him may be their best option.
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