Phillies 2021 player grades: Catcher J.T. Realmuto

How did J.T. Realmuto perform for the Phillies in 2021?

When the Philadelphia Phillies re-signed J.T. Realmuto to a five-year deal at the end of this past January, he joined Bryce Harper as the core of the franchise for the foreseeable future.

However, much like the overall Phillies season, Realmuto’s play was largely inconsistent in 2021.

Realmuto started the season on fire, recording six multiple-hit games in April, and finished the month hitting .329 with five doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI, and an OPS of .932. He went 7-for-16 over a four-game stretch from May 7 through May 11 but struggled to a woeful 3-for-29 with 12 strikeouts for the rest of the month.

Although Realmuto hit safely in 15 games during June, his overall totals for the month of .229 average with three home runs, 10 RBI and a .693 OPS were far less than expected from arguably the best catcher in the National League. Despite the struggles at the plate, Realmuto was named to his third All-Star team.

July was a better month for Realmuto, recording five multiple-hit games. His power numbers improved to four home runs, 13 RBI, and an OPS of .732, despite batting just .242.  Similar to Harper, Realmuto picked up his offense during the “dog days of summer”, hitting .291 with three home runs and 16 RBI during August.

Realmuto was solid, but not spectacular the rest of the way, hitting three home runs and 15 RBI over his last 105 at-bats.  As well as seeing most of his time behind the plate, Realmuto also saw time at first base and designated hitter. For the season, he hit .263 with 17 home runs, 73 RBI, and an OPS of .782. His batting average was his lowest since 2015 and OPS was lowest since 2016.

Defensively, Realmuto was still excellent. He committed just one error and had a fielding percentage of .999, both best in the National League. He threw out 26.3 percent of would-be base stealing, which ranked 4th in the National League.

While certainly not his best offensive season at age 30, Realmuto battled injuries, played stellar defense, and still showed he’s among the elite catchers in the game.

J.T. Realmuto’s 2021 grade: B