The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the more intriguing teams to watch this offseason, and their name keeps popping up in connection with some major moves. The latest buzz?
A potential pursuit of Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette. While nothing’s imminent, the Phillies are trending in the right direction-and with Ranger Suárez now officially a member of the Boston Red Sox, the path to Bichette may have just gotten a little clearer.
But here’s where things get interesting: while the Phillies continue to push in Bichette’s direction, they haven’t taken their eyes off another key piece-J.T. Realmuto. According to Paul Casella of MLB.com, Philadelphia is still working behind the scenes to find a way to bring back their veteran catcher for 2026.
Let’s break that down.
Realmuto, a cornerstone of this Phillies core over the past several seasons, remains a priority for the front office. In fact, Casella notes that among the team’s trio of key free agents, the Phillies locked in Kyle Schwarber early with a five-year, $150 million deal, and now their focus is squarely on Realmuto.
That’s not exactly surprising. Realmuto’s leadership behind the plate, his ability to control the running game, and his still-productive bat make him one of the most complete catchers in the league-even as he heads into the latter stages of his career.
But here’s the rub: the Phillies’ pursuit of Bichette and their desire to retain Realmuto may not be financially compatible. If bringing Realmuto back means bowing out of the Bichette sweepstakes, it could leave fans feeling a bit deflated.
After all, the excitement around potentially landing Bichette has been building steadily. He’s a dynamic, young shortstop with pop, range, and charisma-exactly the kind of player who could elevate this roster in a big way.
Still, the dream scenario for the Phillies would be to land both: re-sign Realmuto on a shorter or team-friendly deal and still find the financial flexibility to bring Bichette aboard. That’s a tightrope walk, no question. It would likely require some creative roster maneuvering and Realmuto agreeing to a smaller contract than what he’s previously been offered.
Is it a long shot? Absolutely.
But the Phillies aren’t ruling it out just yet. And if they somehow manage to pull it off-adding Bichette to the infield while keeping Realmuto behind the plate-it could be a franchise-defining winter.
The Phillies are clearly swinging big this offseason. Whether they connect on both Bichette and Realmuto remains to be seen, but the ambition is there. And in a city like Philadelphia, where expectations are sky-high and the fan base is all-in, that kind of boldness matters.
So while the odds may not be great, don’t count out the possibility just yet. The Phillies still have hope-and maybe, just maybe, a little magic left to make it happen.