Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) reacts after striking out in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Phillies Have Little Choice but to Re-Sign J.T. Realmuto This Offseason

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies made the right call getting catcher J.T. Realmuto to a five-year, $115 million deal before the 2021 season.

It’s hard to find a catcher that can produce at the plate, and the now-34-year-old has been able to do that for most of his career with the Phillies. In the five years since he signed the deal, he’s posted a slash of .262/.327/.437 with a .763 OPS, with 85 home runs and 319 RBI. He was an All-Star in 2021 and was named a Gold Glover and Silver Slugger at catcher in 2022, along with finishing seventh in National League MVP voting.

His production was fine in 2025, but his power numbers dropped for a second straight season, and he is about to hit free agency with the likelihood of multiple suitors. The Phillies’ catching situation may demand that Philadelphia make every attempt to re-sign Realmuto for at least one more season.

Philadelphia Phillies Catchers in 2025

Realmuto slashed .257/.315/.384 with a .700 OPS in 134 games, with 12 home runs and 52 RBI. His home runs dropped for a second straight season — 20 in 2023 and 14 in 2024. Same for his OPS — .762 in 2023 and .751 in 2024. Realmuto also ranked fourth in catcher’s caught stealing above average rate of plus-6. His CS above average was in the 95th percentile and his pop time (1.86) was in the 99th percentile, per Baseball Savant.

Rafael Marchán played 42 games at catcher and Garrett Stubbs played the other two. Marchán’s numbers did not approach what Realmuto produced. He slashed .210/.282/.305 with two home runs and 13 RBI. In 82 MLB games he has slashed .245/.308/.394 with seven home runs and 26 RBI.

Realmuto wouldn’t talk about free agency after the Phillies’ Game 4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. Normally, a player of his caliber would not bring questions about him being re-signed. But, Philadelphia must also try to re-sign Kyle Schwarber and pitcher Ranger Suarez. There isn’t enough money to go around.

But chances are the Philles could find another designated hitter and starting pitcher. Could they find another catcher? Marchán and Stubbs are not productive enough to be front-line starters.

Payton Henry was Triple-A Lehigh Valley’s most productive catcher outside of Stubbs, but he’s only played 20 Major League games since 2016.

Philadelphia’s top prospect behind the plate is former seventh-round pick Caleb Ricketts, who finished the season at Double-A Reading. He slashed .275/.315/.438 with eight home runs and 34 RBI. Those are numbers good enough to be promoted to Lehigh Valley, but not the Majors.

Realmuto produced enough in 2025 to warrant a return in 2026. The depth behind him, both in the Majors and the minors, demands that the Phillies bring him back.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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