Phillies must decrease J.T. Realmuto's workload in 2025

Marchan could emerge as the favorite to land full-time backup duties in 2025 if he has a quality spring, as he’s out of minor league options, meaning if he isn’t rostered to begin the season, the club could risk losing him to another team. Stubbs has an option remaining, so he could be sent down to minors without being passed through waivers first. 

"We like Marchan a lot," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski  said last season. "We think he's a real good catcher. He's shown some offensive prowess also. He's had a lot of injuries, but when he's played, he's played very well."

If Marchan rises to the occasion and avoids injury, he will help not only the team but specifically Realmuto. However, not all hope is lost for Realmuto; he’s still a highly skilled athlete and a respectable defender at the position. He’s second among active catchers in caught stealing with 218, good for a 32.1 percentage, which ranks third. But if the Phillies want to get the most out of him in the final year remaining on his contract, they need to decrease his playing time in 2025.

Marchan is more than capable of handling an increased workload. He just turned 26 on Feb. 25, while Stubbs will turn 32 in May. Stubbs is still valuable to the club because he has an incredible rapport with the Phillies’ pitching staff, but his bat is a liability. Marchan deserves a real shot with the big league club, as he’s impressed over a 40-game sample size in his MLB career.

Realmuto may try out a new position in 2025, but until then, let the poor man rest his knees.