Phillies can’t afford to let J.T. Realmuto test free agency

What if J.T. Realmuto goes?

As mentioned earlier, Realmuto is the “best catcher in baseball.” Awarded a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger for his 2019 performance, while leading the position in Hits, Doubles, RBIs, Runs, Slugging Percentage, and Stolen Bases. He also threw out a league-leading 47% of runners last season, with a league-best pop time of 1.88 seconds. Don’t forget that Realmuto also led the Phillies in WAR last year.

If he walks in free agency and takes an offer away from Philadelphia, that will sting for a long time. The remaining Catching options in Free Agency aren’t even in the same realm as J.T. Realmuto. The closest thing to him would be James McCann from the White Sox, a 2019 All-Star, but will be entering his age 32 season. He’s also not going to get the same time behind the plate in Chicago this year, with the additions of Yasmani Grandal and Edwin Encarnación taking up DH reps.

A reunion with Wilson Ramos is possible (if his option is declined), but at 34 and an injury history, it’s not a great move. Nor would Jason Castro, a 2013 All-Star, who would be entering his age 34 season. Other than that, 41-year-old Erik Kratz is still out there. The Phillies could fall back on Deivy Grullon, who will be 25 in 2021.

It’s clear that Realmuto is elite at his position. Plus, his age in this open market is a major advantage compared to the other free agents.

What’s most upsetting about all this is Matt Klentak’s lack of urgency. You cannot let J.T. Realmuto walk. Plain and simple. The team only gets worse if you lose him. He’s a leader and not to mention, the face of the franchise’s best friend in the clubhouse. If Bryce Harper wants to keep someone around, you should probably tend to it.