For much of the winter, J.T. Realmuto returning to the Philadelphia Phillies has felt like a given and the kind of move everyone assumes would happen, but some are starting to walk that back.
FanSided’s Chris Landers recently raised the question of whether Realmuto will return, asking if the Phillies will give him what he wants after showing interest in others and spending elsewhere.
“Realmuto returning to Philly in free agency has long been considered something of a foregone conclusion. There isn't another catcher on the market who has his sort of two-way ceiling, but his age and slow statistical decline figures to limit his market — and keep him squarely in the price range of a Phillies team in World Series-or-bust mode.
“Recently, though, the calculus may have changed. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the two sides remain in a standoff, and the Phils might not be willing to wait forever for Realmuto to come off his asking price,” he wrote. “Having already shelled out $150 million to keep Kyle Schwarber around, Philadelphia is now being linked to another big-name target in infielder Bo Bichette. If they land Bichette as well, will there still be money left for Realmuto?”
There are concerns about him returning, but as I’ve said plenty of times now, I don’t see how the Phillies should let Realmuto walk with the catchers on the market.
Given team is truly in a World Series-or-bust window, letting Realmuto walk would be a ridiculous decision.
I understand that Realmuto is old and he doesn’t look like he once did, but the idea that there’s an option out there to replace him is untrue. While he's slowed down, Realmuto still does all of a lot of things at a high level, and that matters for a veteran pitching staff.
The Phillies can dream about adding Bo Bichette, and that would certainly help, but losing Realmuto to make the money work would still leave them in a weird spot.
Ultimately, windows close fast and catchers like this don’t grow on trees. If the Phillies are serious about finishing what they’ve started, Realmuto should be back on the roster.