The Phillies didn’t waste time licking their wounds after missing out on Bo Bichette. Instead, they pivoted quickly and locked down a familiar face behind the plate.
J.T. Realmuto is staying in Philadelphia, agreeing to a three-year, $45 million deal that keeps the veteran catcher in red pinstripes through what could be the final chapter of his career.
At 35 years old by Opening Day, Realmuto isn’t the same offensive force he once was. His 2025 season was statistically one of the roughest of his career, finishing with a .257/.315/.384 slash line, 12 homers, 52 RBIs, and a 91 OPS+.
That’s a far cry from the elite production he posted earlier in his tenure with the Phillies. But make no mistake-this move wasn’t about chasing past numbers.
It was about preserving something the Phillies still believe is essential to their success: stability and leadership behind the plate.
Realmuto’s new deal comes with a significant pay cut from the $23.875 million he earned annually under his previous five-year, $116.5 million extension signed in 2021. Now earning $15 million per season, the Phillies are betting that his value goes beyond the box score-and they’re not wrong.
While the bat may have cooled, Realmuto’s impact on the pitching staff remains undeniable. Phillies pitchers have consistently credited him for his ability to call a game, manage tempo, and instill confidence pitch after pitch. That’s not something you can easily replace on the open market, especially in a free agent class where Realmuto, even in decline, stood out as the best available catcher.
This wasn’t a reunion that always felt inevitable. Talks between the two sides had stalled earlier in the offseason, and with the team chasing other big names-including a serious run at Bichette-it looked like Philly might be ready to move on. But once Bichette landed with the Mets, the Phillies circled back and got a deal done with their longtime backstop.
Realmuto has been a fixture in Philadelphia for seven seasons, accumulating 24.9 bWAR during that span. He’s a three-time All-Star, a cornerstone of the team’s recent playoff pushes, and a player whose defensive reputation-while not what it once was-still carries weight in the clubhouse and across the league.
The Phillies know they’re not getting the Realmuto of 2019 or even 2022. But they’re also not asking him to be that guy anymore. What they need is a steady presence behind the plate, someone who knows the staff inside and out, and who can help shepherd a talented rotation through the grind of another 162-game season.
This deal isn’t about upside-it’s about trust. The Phillies trust Realmuto to be the bridge between their arms and their ambitions. And for a team still looking to make noise in October, that kind of trust is worth every bit of the $45 million they just committed.