The Philadelphia Phillies aren't blowing up the team this offseason, but it certainly will look different heading into 2026. They have several players hitting free agency this winter, and star catcher J.T. Realmuto is among that group looking for a new contract in free agency.
Realmuto will be entering his age-35 season next year and also coming off a 2025 season in which he hit .257/.315/.384. His .700 OPS also marked his lowest since 2015 (.696). Even with the down year, Realmuto is still an asset at the catcher position. He led all MLB catchers with a 1.86-second pop time.
The Phillies would like to bring him back, but the market may be hotter than expected for his services.
J.T. Realmuto could earn a nice payday this offseason, with the Phillies or elsewhere
Realmuto has spent the last seven seasons as a member of the Phillies, but the anticipation is that he'll have a healthy market as free agency begins just a few days from now. There was a real question about Realmuto's worth at the end of his most recent contract, but Matt Gelb of The Athletic believes that his market could rival that of Kyle Schwarber (subscription required).
“Some rival executives expect Realmuto to draw more free-agent interest this winter than Kyle Schwarber,” Gelb says. “That’s not to suggest Realmuto will receive a larger deal than Schwarber; he won’t. But the sheer number of teams interested in Realmuto could boost his market.”
Realmuto has been valuable and has continued to hold to that, but it was believed initially that not many teams would be willing to commit longer term for an older catcher. Gelb believes that he could still fetch a three-year deal.
“It might be uncomfortable territory for the Phillies, but [J.T. Realmuto] could have enough interest to secure a three-year offer from someone,” Gelb says.
It's not particularly jarring to think about giving Realmuto three additional years. The Phillies have seen how well Realmuto has worked through his early 30s, but now he's a free agent. Many Phillies fans just assumed they could just take care of him after the deal was done.
The Phillies could have mistakenly downplayed the competition for Realmuto this year and could suffer the consequences if they're not careful. There isn't a plethora of talent at the catcher position in free agency, so Realmuto is among the best available.