Phillies insider downplays the Adley Rutschman trade interest

Jared Bloom

•
Phillies insider downplays the Adley Rutschman trade interest image

The Philadelphia Phillies are at risk of losing their veteran backstop, J.T. Realmuto. He is on the open market, along with a few other key contributors, who would surely hurt the club if they signed elsewhere. 

The catching market is pretty thin, so Realmuto's potential to sign somewhere else is high. He headlines the group, which is not considered to be too strong. 

Realmito has been with the Phillies since he was traded from the Miami Marlins in 2019. He has been considered one of the best at his position and a fan favorite for those in Philadelphia. 

Phillies insider downplays the Adley Rutschman trade interest

The Baltimore Orioles have teased that they could be willing to part ways with Adley Rutschman. They recently signed Samuel Basallo to an eight-year extension, with a club option for 2034. 

Some have tied the Phillies to potentially looking into what it would take to acquire Rutschman. However, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki downplays that interest and instead points to the club's interest in retaining Realmuto. 

"I think the team would prefer Realmuto. First, they know his value to the pitching staff and the club. Second, he'll only cost money, while I'm sure the Orioles are going to want a haul in return for Rutschman."

Realmuto has developed quite a relationship with the pitching staff over the years. That alone could be enough of a reason, but he is also considered a leader in the clubhouse. 

Realmuto would also only cost the club money, while Rutschman would likely take a few of their top prospect to the Orioles to flip him.

The veteran catcher also has an elite arm and is a workhorse behind the dish. This past season, Realmuto led all other big-league players with 1,216 putouts. The next closest player had 1,178, and it was Pete Alonso.

More MLB news:

Senior Editor