Mired in a seven-game losing streak and saddled with a -45 run differential that ranks as the worst in the league, the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans need any type of good news right now.
Instead, they're being hit with a back-breaking injury: J.T. Realmuto is officially heading to the injured list.
News: The Phillies are putting J.T. Realmuto on the injured list. Garrett Stubbs will return and split time at catcher with Rafael Marchán.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) April 22, 2026
Another blow to a team that desperately needs something to go right. Story: https://t.co/BlTHrTo2LR
Realmuto has been tending to a lower back ailment for a while, though the writing was on the wall once he started missing games over the weekend. He played in the team's fifth consecutive loss to the Chicago Cubs on April 21, but he looked like a shell of himself while nursing his back.
In his stead, fan favorite Garrett Stubbs will return to Philadelphia. Because he was designated for assignment earlier this year, the Phillies will need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move to make room for his (re)arrival.
Phillies slammed with J.T. Realmuto news they could not afford during losing streak
There's not much new left to say about the lineup at this point. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have tried their hardest to carry this lifeless group to competency, but everyone else on the roster has seemingly opted for a pacifist's approach at the plate, refusing to do damage.
Realmuto was one of few other members on the team who was actually putting forth an effort conducive to winning. His 100 wRC+ ranks fourth among Phillies regulars, behind only that aforementioned duo and Justin Crawford. Admittedly, a .259/.344/.352 slash line isn't much to write home about, but combined with his stellar-as-usual defense behind the plate, the 35-year-old catcher accrued 0.5 fWAR through the team's first 23 games, second only to Schwarber among position players.
Rafael Marchán will take on the lion's share of the catching duties in his absence, but that may only exacerbate the lineup's problems. He's 2-for-31 this season, having only drawn one walk. As you might expect, his -37 wRC+ would be one of the worst marks in the league if he had enough at-bats to qualify for the leaderboards.
Stubbs will resume his old job as the backup catcher, and while he's crushed Triple-A pitching in Lehigh Valley to the tune of a 1.045 OPS, he hasn't been a league-average hitter in the big leagues since 2022. Solid depth though he is, his return to Philly is a band-aid on an infected wound.
There's no firm timeline on Realmuto's recovery, though back injuries and catchers in their mid-30s tend not to mesh well. Treading water during his absence will be no small task, seeing as the team was already drowning with him in the fold.
In other news around the league, the New York Mets' losing streak has reached 12 games. Just in case you needed a pick-me-up.
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