The standoff between free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto and the Philadelphia Phillies marches on with only weeks to go until spring training. There was a level of expectation that Realmuto would return to Philadelphia on a smaller deal (subscription required), but talks have come to a halt with a supposed gap in negotiations.
The standoff in free agency isn't an unfamiliar one for both parties, but it only gets more confusing as time goes on. This is especially true after is was recently revealed that the Phillies have offered the veteran backtop a three-year deal.
The Phillies and Realmuto both know they're not negotiating anywhere near the previous $115.5 million deal, but Realmuto has held onto the idea of getting a longer commitment, even with him turning 35 years old in March. The Phillies have to be careful about what they're willing to spend even with one of the best Phillies' catchers in history. Realmuto continues to be an important pillar in their organization, but every story has its end.
Phillies' reported offer to J.T. Realmuto only adds confusion to ongoing free agency dance
The biggest hang-up with the Phillies is not only the overall money, but the amount of years they're willing to offer. If Realmuto accepted a two-year contract, perhaps a deal would have come much sooner, but now the latest reporting only adds more confusion.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post was on MLB Network on Wednesday discussing the chase for free agent shortstop Bo Bichette and the Phillies. Realmuto was a priority at the beginning of the offseason for Philadelphia, but now things have changed, leading to them inquiring about Bichette.
The Phillies most likely would have to move on from Realmuto due to the financial restrictions, but even Phillies fans couldn't have guessed that Realmuto would still be sitting on a three-year offer to allow this to happen.
“They’ve been in kind of a stare-down with J.T. Realmuto for quite a while right now,” Heyman said. “They've offered them a three-year deal. Obviously, it's not exactly what he wants. I think he wants a little more, I don't know, maybe closer to $15 million. I'm not sure exactly where they are, uh, but there are some moving parts here.”
By all accounts, a three-year contract seemed like the one that would get the deal done. We don't know the specifics of the total value. The Phillies are known for their willingness to go more years to stretch out the average annual value, so it's likely the Phillies did the same with this offer. This also could be the same offer that was put on the table in early December, leaving the Phillies patiently waiting for Realmuto to accept.
According to Spotrac, his market value is around $13 million a year. Realmuto and his agent are looking out for the player's best interest, but they're playing a dangerous game, one that could leave him without a roster spot in due time. It also remains incredibly interesting after The Athletic's Jim Bowden's reported that Realmuto's market is almost nonexistent.
“I have not heard of a single team that is in on Realmuto right now,” Bowden stated earlier this week.
Realmuto is still a valuable catcher with an elite arm and speed for his position, but he also has to know that his value has diminished. He took a step back in 2025 with a .699 OPS, the lowest among qualified catchers, and also continues to struggle with pitch framing, ranking 53rd out of 57 MLB catchers, per Statcast.
Maybe the Phillies would normally concede to the ongoing holdout, but they seem very open to bringing in a star like Bichette (subscription required) instead of missing out on the rest of the market.