The Philadelphia Phillies don’t have all the time in the world to lock down their standout catcher to an extension.
Phillies holding back on offering J.T. Realmuto extension
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber, the Phillies have yet to approach their three-time All-Star J.T. Realmuto with a contract extension offer as he nears his final year with the team in 2025 (h/t Brad Wakai of Philadelphia Phillies on SI):
“The Phillies haven’t approached Realmuto about an extension, but it may come up later in the offseason or spring training. And it will be a fascinating conversation,” Lauber reported.
Phillies: Realmuto is one of the MLB’s most elite catchers
Realmuto is approaching the last year of the five-year, $115.5 million deal he signed with the franchise, which took effect beginning in 2021. His $23.8 million will be coming off Philadelphia’s books once the 2025 MLB campaign concludes, but his name does not have to.
There aren’t too many catchers who can match the Oklahoma native’s impact. Realmuto finished No. 7 in the National League MVP race, won his third Silver Slugger Award, his second Gold Glove Award, and was announced to the All-MLB First Team for the second time in his career all in 2022.
Phillies on the clock to secure star prior to his free agency
Most recently, the 33-year-old sported a strong .995 fielding percentage in 99 games at catcher last season. A year before that, he led the entire MLB with 1,190 putouts and all NL catchers with his .998 fielding percentage. The record shows that Realmuto’s fielding percentage at catcher has not dipped below .990 since his rookie year back in 2014.
The Phillies could forbear to offer their elite battery option an extension until the 2025 season kicks off. While he is aging, played his fewest games (99) in a standard 162-game season since his rookie campaign, and was not quite as potent as the plate in 2024, he’s still great at the position. As Philadelphia chases a World Series next year with as strong a roster as they’ve had in recent memory, ensuring that their battery is continually equipped with stout game-calling and execution for the next several seasons may benefit the franchise moving forward if done sooner rather than later.
