J.T. Realmuto Makes Phillies History with All-Star Game Home Run

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto just hit the first All-Star Game home run by a catcher in franchise history!

The National League wasn’t on the board nearly halfway through the 91st MLB All-Star Game, and it just wasn’t sitting right with a certain Phillies star.

J.T. Realmuto, who was originally named a reserve to the NL team, ended up being the starting catcher in the annual game.

But his true impact came at the plate, not behind it. In the fifth inning, with his league down 4-0, Realmuto faced Gregory Soto of the Detroit Tigers, and hit a mammoth home run to put the NL on the board.

Realmuto’s home run off a 98.8 mph slider by Soto had a 104 mph exit velocity and went 430 feet. According to Statcast, his average exit velocity this season is 89.6 MPH, and his hardest-hit ball had an EV of 110.1 mph.

The Phillies haven’t had much of a presence in the ASG over the last few years, and certainly not at this level. Realmuto’s home run is something no Phillies player had done in the summer event since Mike Schmidt in 1981.

By the way, 1981 was 40 years ago, in case you want to feel old.

Realmuto joins Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Dick Allen, and Johnny Callison as players in franchise history to hit an All-Star homer.

This is also only the third time in All-Star Game history that each league’s catcher homered; Mike Zunino homered an inning after Realmuto.

However, Realmuto is the first Phillies catcher to homer in the history of the All-Star Game.

Former Phillies were thrilled:

In the history of the All-Star Game, the American League leads the National league 45-43, and coming into this year’s game, had outscored them 373-370. The NL has not won since they completed a three-peat from 2010-2012.

Oh, and something to consider…