Longtime catcher J.T. Realmuto officially signed his three-year, $45 million contract on Tuesday to return to the Philadelphia Phillies, keeping him tied to the organization through the 2028 season. The deal will see him earn $15 million per season, with a potential maximum of $60 million if Realmuto meets specific performance-based bonuses.
The initial news of the deal came last Friday, within hours of the team missing out on star shortstop Bo Bichette, who signed with the New York Mets. On Tuesday, the full details of the contract, including the incentives, were revealed by the Associated Press.
Realmuto, 34, has been a reliable catcher for the Phillies since he was acquired from the Miami Marlins ahead of the 2019 season. So far in his Phillies career, he has hit 121 home runs to go along with 434 RBIs and a .265 average across seven seasons.
Phillies will be more than happy to pay J.T. Realmuto if he earns his contract incentives
The contract on the surface appears to be a win for Realmuto, as he'll get paid at the top of his position with the opportunity to make even more money for high accolades. His $15 million base salary ties him with Sean Murphy for the highest 2026 cash salary at the position, per Spotrac, while Alejandro Kirk ($13.5 million), William Contreras ($11 million), and Cal Raleigh ($11 million) trail shortly behind.
However, the bonus incentives are a win-win for the Phillies.
Realmuto's new contract contains award bonuses of $2 million for an All-Star selection by the fans ($1 million if selected by coaching staff, players, or the league), $1 million for a Gold Glove Award, $1 million for a Silver Slugger Award, and $2 million for a top 10 finish in the MVP voting in the National League. So far in his career, he has made three All-Star teams (two with the Phillies), has earned three Silver Slugger Awards, and has two Gold Gloves, which puts these accolades within reach.
It's unlikely that the Phillies will have to pay many, if any, of the extras. But if they do, it'll be because Realmuto will have rediscovered his offense again and will be a big part of a lineup with World Series aspirations.
For Realmuto to reach any of his incentives, he will have to improve on a less-than-stellar 2025 season at the plate. In 134 games, he hit for a .257 average with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs. His batting average was down significantly from his career mark of .270, and his power numbers were lacking as well.
From 2021 through 2023, Realmuto hit 59 home runs in 408 games (one every 6.91 games). Since 2024, he has hit just 26 home runs in 233 games (one every 8.96 games). While his defense has continued to be better than league average, the Phillies will need more from his bat going forward if they want to make a run in the postseason.
Now that the contract is set in stone, the Phillies will head into next season with Realmuto penciled in as the starter and Rafael Marchán as the likely backup. Garrett Stubbs will be available as insurance in the minor leagues (assuming he passes through waivers as he is out of minor league options). Realmuto joins Kyle Schwarber and newcomer Adolis García as the Phillies' offensive signings this year as they look to make another postseason push.