Garrett Stubbs
As one of the Phillies fan favorites, probably never in a thousand years would they want catcher Garrett Stubbs to leave the organization. After all, not only does he bring character, joy and excitement to the Phillies’ clubhouse, but he has done a decent job as J.T. Realmuto’s trusted backup for the past three seasons, at least from a defensive standpoint.
However, the Phillies' hand may be forced to do the unthinkable because they have the heir to the backup catcher role waiting in the wings. When Realmuto was out after meniscectomy surgery on his right knee earlier this summer, Rafael Marchán was called up to help fill the catching position to work in tandem with Stubbs.
Marchán made the most of his brief audition with the Phillies, posting a stellar .294 batting average and .894 OPS, with eight runs scored, four doubles, three home runs and six RBI in just 17 games. For comparison, Stubbs is hitting .191 with a .525 OPS with 13 runs scored, three doubles, one home run and seven RBI over 45 games this season.
It wasn’t just only Marchán's bat doing the talking. He held his own defensively as well, registering one defensive run saved with no passed balls, with a .985 fielding percentage and a strong 33 percent caught stealing rate.
With the mileage adding up in Realmuto’s legs as he enters the 2025 season at age 34, the Phillies will likely need his backup to play more and be productive at the same time. With the greater offensive potential that Marchán can provide, look for him to overtake Stubbs this offseason, leaving Stubbs without a secure role going forward.