Jon ConahanThu, November 27, 2025 at 5:38 AM UTC·1 min readPhillies remain clear favorite to reunite with fan favorite in MLB free agency originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The harsh reality of the situation between the Philadelphia Phillies and J.T. Realmuto is that he's indeed declined, but there also aren't many better options out there for the Phillies to pursue.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUnless they have a trade in the works for someone like Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles, who some believe could be available, it seems like Realmuto is the best player available.
Coming off a season where he hit just .257 with a career-worst 99 OPS+ in any year since his rookie campaign, his defensive abilities are still above average, and that could have an impact on what his market looks like.
Regardless of how some feel about him, Will Laws of Sports Illustrated still thinks he'd fit nicely in Philadelphia, predicting him to re-sign with the Phillies.
“The only catcher on these rankings has been a rock-solid member of the Phillies’ championship-contending core for seven years. Unfortunately, his first below-average offensive season in a decade signals either a classic case of a catcher declining in his mid-30s or some truly terrible timing. A return to Philadelphia seems like the best-case scenario for all involved, as he’s likely more valuable to the Phils than anyone else at this stage of his career,” he wrote.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere are obviously a lot worse options out there than Realmuto, so Phillies fans who don't want him back should probably understand that. Unfortunately, around Major League Baseball, there isn't a slew of elite-hitting catchers.
Realmuto was very good offensively at other parts throughout his career, but he's also 34 years old and will be 35 before the start of next season.
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