Philadelphia Phillies Reunite With J.T. Realmuto

A three-year, $45 million contract with incentives is completely fair and reasonable for a player of Realmuto’s caliber. The free-agent market for catchers was thin, and the Phillies are simply too good to roll into 2026 with Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs as the tandem behind the plate.

Obviously, the Phillies know exactly what Realmuto brings to the clubhouse and how he handles the pitching staff. His offense has been in decline for the past three seasons, but he still offers a high enough floor to give the Phillies comfort about the deal — at least we hope.

Realmuto has seen his defense and offense take a step back recently. The batted-ball data is still promising, but the power — a .127 ISO in 2025 –was the lowest it has been since 2016. I think Realmuto is savvy enough to adjust his game as he ages and avoid a cliff dive in production, but that possibility still exists.

Even if Realmuto’s offense settles around a 90-100 wRC+ during the extent of his contract, his defensive prowess and clubhouse leadership will help lift his value. Sometimes knowing exactly what you have and keeping the continuity with a pitching staff brings a greater value that what the baseline numbers show on the surface.

If the Phillies were to pivot away from Realmuto, they would have to either swing a trade or accept the fact that they would be taking a step back behind the plate. They have other moves they need to focus on, and getting a Realmuto deal completed checks a box. Now, time for them to move on to what’s next.

Retaining both Kyle Schwarber and Realmuto extends the current Phillies core into their late 30’s, putting an even bigger emphasis on winning now. There are still holes in this roster, and with the free-agent market starting to move, the Phillies need to act quickly.

How the Realmuto Signing Impacts the Next Moves

It’s likely that if Bo Bichette accepted the reported offer that was floated to him by the Phillies, then J.T. Realmuto would have landed elsewhere. The domino effect of the Bichette move likely means more than one simple transaction in Philadelphia.

While we are not 100% sure how much budget Dave Dombrowski has to work with, the reported offer to Bichette was $200 million over seven years ($28.5 AAV). If the Realmuto money, $15 million AAV, is factored in, then the Phillies have at least a $13 million cushion to work with from the information we know. Perhaps even more.

Of the remaining free agents, Cody Bellinger, Framber Valdez, and Lucas Giolitto are the only players projected at a $20 million AAV or higher, according to Spotrac. I’m sure others will get there, but they are not currently projected to.

We also know Philadelphia would love to shed the salary of Nick Castellanos, who is on the last year of a deal at $20 million for 2026. In order to move him, the Phillies will have to eat some money; but the biggest question is how much?

Alec Bohm has been another name floated in trade rumors, as his $10.2 million contract would free up some money. But after the Bichette and Bregman signings, it looks like the Phillies are going to need Bohm to fill third base. The open market options are thinning quite quickly.

As it stands today, the Phillies are essentially the same team minus Harrison Bader and Ranger Suarez, two players they relied on heavily down the stretch. In order to keep pace with the top dogs of the National League, a significant move — or two — is still needed.

The clock is ticking in Philly.

Final Thoughts

We knew this offseason would be a pivitoal one for the Phillies. An aging core that had a number of players hit the open market felt like a time where the front office would either load up, or retool.

Bringing players back is never as sexy as the flashy new free agent, but you should not undermine how important the Schwarber and Realmuto moves were. Just imagine this team without them.

Philadelphia now has another boxed checked: catcher. I would also say the need to shuffle the deck and move a few players from the roster is much less crucial as well. The payroll and roster situation is that much clearer, and now it’s time to to put together the final pieces.