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Phillies Predicted to Cut Ties With J.T. Realmuto Replacement at Deadline

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jon Conahan | Last updated Jul 4, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies don't have a perfect replacement for J.T. Realmuto.

The front office may just go out and sign someone in the offseason if they allow him to walk, but it's still uncertain what the Phillies' plans are.

They eventually have a youngster waiting in the wings with Eduardo Tait, but Tait is likely multiple years away from making his debut.

However, from what it seems, the expectation is that Tait will eventually be the starting catcher. Despite that, Matt Postins recently named him a potential trade candidate at the deadline, adding that he could be used in a deal to help them win now.

“Tait isn’t as close to the Majors as Miller, but he’s at a valuable position in the organization. Veteran J.T. Realmuto is in the final year of his contract and it’s not clear what he or the Phillies will do after the season.

“The Phillies may need Tait in the future. But they could also use him to reinforce their playoff run,” he wrote.

Obviously, the Phillies' ultimate goal is to win a World Series, but that doesn't mean they should make trades just for making them.

Nonetheless, if a team is willing to part ways with a decent big-league player or someone with multiple years of control, for Tait, there's reason to believe it could make sense.

Given his young age, it's also fair to mention that there's no guarantee he'll become a legitimate major league player. It's been seen many times before, as Tait still has much to prove.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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