Phillies: Five Really Bold Predictions for Spring Training

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J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

JT Realmuto extension is signed before Opening Day.

J.T. Realmuto and the Phillies had an arbitration meeting scheduled for Wednesday and on Thursday it was announced that he lost the case and will be awarded $10M to play in the 2020 season, the most ever by a catcher in MLB history.

The leagues’ best catcher has said all the right words to put fan’s minds at ease for the inevitable upcoming extension talk.

"“I could see myself staying in Philly and playing my entire career here. Also being one year away from free agency wouldn’t be a bad things for me either. But I don’t think it’ll get to that. I think the Phillies and myself could lineup pretty well."

The Phillies likely could enter extension talks with Realmuto after the arbitration hearing. With the Chicago White Sox signing Yasmani Grandal, who is consensus thought to be the second-best catcher in baseball behind JT, we have a more clear vision of what a Realmuto extension may look like.

Grandal was awarded a 4 year, 73-million dollar deal, that’s about 18.3 million per season. When it comes to JT he can do it all around, he’s a Gold Glover, Silver Slugger and an All-Star. His season last year was unbelievable, one of the best we’ve seen by a Phillies catcher in a long time.

The Phillies have to get a deal done with JT, they traded away a potential ace prospect in Sixto Sanchez to acquire Realmuto.

I don’t see anything going wrong in the negotiations, it is pretty clear that JT is worth the extension and worth the money and the Phillies understand what they have to do.

Depending on if the Phillies would count the arbitration year into the extension or not, I’d say Realmuto is likely to get a 5-year deal for about $20 million per season.