The Philadelphia Phillies entered the offseason with a need in the outfield, at catcher, designated hitter, and in the bullpen. Heading into the week of Christmas, they've added all but one position.
J.T. Realmuto is still unsigned, and the Phillies are still trying to re-sign him to a multi-year deal. While there is some debate over the specifics of the contract, the two sides remain in contact.
Matt Gelb of The Athletic shared an update from Dave Dombrowski on the Phillies pursuit of Realmuto. This update from Dombrowski reveals where things stand between the Phillies and Realmuto as the New Year approaches.
Dave Dombrwoski reveals Phillies free agency update with J.T. Realmuto
"We continue to stay in contact, but probably not a lot different than where we've been in the past," Dombrowski said. "So we just continue to grind along and see if we can come up with a solution. We've talked consistently about trying to sign J.T., and we remain that way. But, you know, we haven't been able to get it done so far."
The Phillies and Dombrowski are putting in an effort to re-sign Realmuto this winter, but those contract talks are currently at an impasse.
While a new deal isn't out of the question, things are progressing slowly. With both Realmuto and the Phillies holding some leverage, these talks might last for a while.
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Realmuto is 34 years old and is coming off a solid season for the Phillies with 2.5 bWAR. But, compared to some of his previous seasons, he's regressed.
Other than his pop-time to throw out would-be basestealers, his defense has also taken a step back. He's still a much better option than any other catcher on the market, which gives Realmuto some extra leverage.
With the Phillies plan to be careful with their spending, this Realmuto free agency saga will likely last for a while longer.
Dombrowski is trying to bring him back, but as things stand, not much has changed from earlier reports that the Phillies have an offer on the table and are in talks with the veteran catcher.
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