The Philadelphia Phillies are projected to be plenty busy over the winter months. They have three big-name players on the open market and a few other key contributors.
Much of the attention will be focused on what the front office can do to keep Kyle Schwarber around. He is one of the team leaders and a huge portion of their offensive production.
However, they are also at risk of losing J.T. Realmuto, who took over the catching duties in 2019. While he has taken a step back, he is still a fan favorite and someone the front office will look to also keep around.
Adley Rutchman could be the answer for the Phillies if J.T. Realmuto signs elsewhere
There are a few teams that are looking to add depth to their backstop, so it's not a guarantee that J.T. Realmuto returns next season. He could sign elsewhere, which would require the Phillies to look for another backstop.
If that is the case, they could turn their attention to the Baltimore Orioles, who have been floating Adley Rutschman on the trade block.
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Lochlahn March projects the Phillies would have to part ways with Gage Wood, Alex McFarlane, and Aroon Escobar to make that happen.
"The Orioles need pitching. The Phillies' top pitching prospect, Andrew Painter, was off the table at the trade deadline, and it's unlikely that has changed. To avoid including their top three prospects – Painter, Miller, and Justin Crawford – it would probably require a bigger package to net Rutschman."
Rutschman certainly would not be cheap, but with the Orioles recently signing Samuel Basallo to an eight-year extension, they should be willing to part ways with him.
In turn, the Orioles would get some pitching, something they could desperately use, while the Phillies would get a starting-caliber catcher to replace Realmuto.
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