Former executive says Realmuto has no market other than Phillies

Catcher J.T. Realmuto. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Former executive says J.T. Realmuto has no market other than Phillies

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 10:41 AM ET

Despite it being bitterly cold in some parts of the U.S., baseball is right around the corner, with pitchers and catchers reporting in about a month.

As Major League Baseball drags through the offseason, a few top free agents remain on the market, like catcher J.T. Realmuto, who is the best free-agent catcher available. Spending the past seven seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, it seemed like it was a slam dunk that Realmuto would re-sign, but things have hit a snag with the two sides still not finding an agreement.

Even though Realmuto is the top catcher available, it appears that the only team interested in him is his former club, with former MLB executive Jim Bowden saying, "I don't think Realmuto has a lot of options."

"I think the right play is [the Phillies] bringing Realmuto back for one year," Bowden said on MLB Network Radio. "And I don't think Realmuto has a lot of options. You know, look, I know it's tough to take pay cuts. I totally get that part, but at some point, whatever the market is, is what it is. I have not heard a single team that is in on Realmuto right now. So I just kind of feel like at some point, if he wants to keep playing, which he doesn't have to, at 35 years old, but he wants to keep playing, I think he probably needs to do this deal with the Phillies."

One team could use J.T. Realmuto, despite what Jim Bowden said

At 34, Realmuto still demonstrated his productivity as a catcher in 2025, hitting .257 with an OPS of .700, but had 129 strikeouts. Behind the dish, he had his first negative defensive runs saved season (-2) since 2020 (-4), but is still the best catcher suited to handle a pitching staff through a 162-game season and in the playoffs.

Teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates have shown their willingness to spend by signing free-agent first baseman Ryan O’Hearn (two years, $29 million). Adding someone like Realmuto to stabilize their clubhouse and handle their pitching staff could help them take that step forward in competing in the National League Central.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. When I’m not writing, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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