The Philadelphia Phillies had a surprisingly quiet offseason following their upset loss to the New York Mets in last season’s National League Division Series.
The team made modest free-agent additions, signing outfielder Max Kepler, reliever Jordan Romano, and swingman Joe Ross to one-year deals — marking the first time since the 2016-17 offseason that the Phillies haven’t signed a player to a multi-year deal. However, their biggest move came in acquiring left-handed starter Jesus Luzardo from the Miami Marlins.
The Phillies appear to be resetting as they await top prospects Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller, and Justin Crawford. The team also faces the potential departure of three All-Stars after this season: Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suarez, and J.T. Realmuto.
Realmuto’s impending free agency is particularly significant as the Phillies lack an in-house replacement, and the free-agent catching market projects to be thin.
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J.T. Realmuto wants to stay with Philadelphia Phillies beyond 2025
In an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber, the three-time All-Star catcher expressed interest in extending his stay with the Phillies. Realmuto is entering the final year of a five-year, $115.5 million contract that gave him the highest annual average ($23.1 million) for a catcher in MLB history.
“Obviously I have interest in coming back to the Phillies,” Realmuto said. “I love being here. My wife loves it here, my family. Their friends are all in the organization. So, there’s certainly interest on our end.”
While Lauber reports mutual interest from the Phillies, negotiations could be complicated by the 34-year-old’s desired contract length.
Realmuto was limited to 99 games last season — his lowest full-season total since his 2014 debut — after undergoing right knee surgery to remove torn cartilage. He hit 14 home runs with a .751 OPS and 109 OPS+.
Despite the injury, Realmuto has been one of baseball’s most durable catchers, appearing behind the plate in 1,120 games over the past decade. Since joining the Phillies in 2019, he has established himself as one of the game’s best all-around catchers, hitting 119 home runs with a .793 OPS and 114 OPS+ while accumulating a 22.4 bWAR and winning two Gold Gloves.
“I want to play as long as I can,” Realmuto told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I don’t know what that [age] is going to be, and I don’t necessarily have a goal for that. It has to do with how my body feels and also my wife and my family. If they’re getting to an age where they want me to be home a little more or the kids are missing me too much, then that might honestly be the day that I’m like, ‘OK, I’m ready to stop playing.’
“But as long as my wife, my kids are enjoying this career and my body feels good and I’m productive, I want to be helping a team win as long as I can do that. I try to take care of myself recovery-wise in the weight room, do all the little things that I can do on a daily basis so that later in my career I’m able to play longer than most.”
Given Realmuto’s age, the Phillies may hesitate to offer more than a three-year deal. However, the limited catching options on the market and his strong relationship with the pitching staff could strengthen his negotiating position.