The catcher position is a very demanding role in the sport of baseball. Days off are a must to survive crouching behind the plate through the entirety of an MLB season. Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto has been the iron man behind the plate, leading all catchers in games caught with 699 since 2019. The trade for Realmuto couldn't have turned out better for the Phillies.
What Realmuto offers defensively is top-notch, and then there's the offense, where Realmuto delivers significant pop in the middle of a stacked Phillies lineup. His durability and the team's lack of catching depth have led to Realmuto taking the field a lot in recent years.
Realmuto will be 34 next month, and his health will be a priority for the team, with an initial plan of cutting back on his playing time in 2025. But Realmuto doesn't feel he has to slow down his game just yet.
J.T. Realmuto doesn't sound like he wants to cut back on playing time
Father time remains undefeated for aging major leaguers trying to hold onto a semblance of who they once were. Realmuto knows what lies ahead, but he believes a decline is yet to be in his future based on a recent appearance on The Phillies Show podcast.
"I've been healthy pretty much my whole career," Realmuto stated. "Last year was the first year I haven't caught 130 games, and it's not like I got hurt because I was being over caught. I got hurt in May, in a rainy game. I hit a triple and was legging a triple out and tweaked my leg around second base.
"If I was grinding through a season and it was August and wear and tear and then I was getting hurt, I would get to 'Hey, let's play less.' But for me, I mean my body feels as good right now as it ever has. I don't feel like I'm, you know, getting old. But with that I understand the want to keep me healthy and keep me productive as long as possible, so I'm sure Thomson and I will have those conversations on the daily."
Realmuto has a case after missing so many games after a fluke injury early in the year. History would say a Plan B should be in place, but Realmuto isn't most catchers. He played shortstop until he was in the minor leagues and then transitioned to catcher full time once he became a major leaguer. His play at shortstop contributed to his speed on the base paths and kept his legs younger as he continued to catch further into his career.
Realmuto still performed to a .751 OPS with 14 home runs and 47 RBI in 99 games last year. According to Statcast, he also led all catchers in pop time in 2024 at 1.85 seconds. It explains why Thomson was nervous about bringing up reduced playing time with Realmuto, as he knows how competitive he is to remain on the field as much as possible.
The luxury of having a catcher who can supply the things Realmuto can is worth the price of admission alone. The Phillies believe he can benefit greatly with less time on his feet and it does save wear and tear down the stretch run of the season. The thought of supplementing him in as DH could be a successful mid-point. To still have Realmuto in the game while also not overusing him over the course of 2025 is best for both sides.