Alongside entrenched starter J.T. Realmuto, the Philadelphia Phillies are currently carrying two backup catchers on the roster: Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán. Surely, with three catchers on the team, one would think that the position wouldn't be a massive headache heading into the playoffs.
Yet here we are, having a near-daily discussion of which backup is less offensive to watch play the game. Both Stubbs (7 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR) and Marchán (-24 wRC+, -0.5 fWAR) have harmed the Phillies more than they've helped this season, which is hardly the kind of descriptor you want to apply to the first lines of defense behind a 35-year-old starting backstop.
Of course, you'd normally assume that a starting catcher is going to make every start in the playoffs barring injury. And while that's true of Realmuto, that's more by default than merit; he's also struggling this year, posting the worst offensive campaign of his career by both OPS (.655) and wRC+ (78). Fatigue is also clearly settling in, as he's punching out 27% of the time in September (while posting a .594 OPS).
In other words, the backup catcher matters on this team, as much we might not want them to. And for that reason, the Phillies have to give the benefit of the doubt to Marchán once October rolls around.
Rafael Marchán's extreme defensive value deserves a spot on Phillies' postseason roster
It'd be foolish to suggest that Marchán has been the "better" player than Stubbs this season, mostly because he's basically an automatic out at the plate. He's batting below .100 and getting on base less than 14% of the time this year, which is "worst hitter in the league" territory. Having him in the lineup would inspire literally zero confidence.
But if Realmuto isn't starting, the Phillies are going to have to sacrifice offense out of the catcher position anyway. Stubbs (.220 OBP) is barely hitting any better, and he doesn't have the same occassional power potential that Marchán does. That basically boils this conversation down to which catcher is the better defender, and that's where our separation exists.
Whether you prefer cumulative defensive metrics like Defensive Runs Saved (+5) and Fielding Run Value (+6) or individual Statcast measurements like Blocks Above Average (+4, 77th percentile) and Framing Runs (+4, 80th percentile), Marchán has been a savant behind the plate this year. Stubbs is no slouch himself -- he's accrued +2 FRV and is elite at controlling baserunners -- but he isn't as well-rounded a defender as his teammate.
If you're going to vouch for Stubbs, it's because of his importance to Aaron Nola's recent success as the right-hander's personal catcher. With Jesús Luzardo hitting the injured list, perhaps that factor is worth weighing more heavily in the veteran backstop's favor.
But defense is the name of the game in the postseason. With a better glove and a more impressive offensive track record on his side, it's not difficult to argue that Marchán deserves to be the No. 2 catcher come October.
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