Phillies' JT Realmuto receives $32 million contract projection from ESPN insider

Matt Sullivan

•
Phillies' JT Realmuto receives $32 million contract projection from ESPN insider image

The Philadelphia Phillies are losing multiple key players to free agency this winter, with Ranger Suarez and Kyle Schwarber both likely to land massive contracts in the offseason.

But catcher JT Realmuto is another top free agent, and will have a chance to sign a new deal. While it won't be as big as his last one, over $100 million, he should still land a solid deal for a 34-year-old catcher.

His most recent contract projection, from ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel, is a lofty one. Despite the wear and tear and his advanced age, McDaniel projects Realmuto to land a $32 million contract.

Phillies' JT Realmuto receives $32 million contract projection

McDaniel projects Realmuto to land a new contract of $32 million over two years, putting his per-year number at $16 million. It's not a cheap deal, especially for a veteran catcher.

This projection has McDaniel a bit worried. While Realmuto still has great athleticism to catch would-be base stealers, the rest of his game is seeing the impact of the wear and tear.

"The rest of his game has been regressing," McDaniel writes, "and at his age as a catcher, things can sometimes fall off a cliff if you have to count on multiple years of performance."

Realmuto has been regressing offensively and defensively in recent years. While there's some concern about his long-term viability, the Phillies are in a unique position to not be overly worried about that issue.

More: Phillies 'more likely than ever' to trade disgruntled $100 million All-Star

The 2026 and 2027 seasons are the most important in recent Phillies history, with those two years being their last real years of contention in this window before widespread, sweeping changes would need to be made.

By then, players like Zack Wheeler, Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, Jesus Luzardo, Jhoan Duran, Alec Bohm, and many others will either be free agents or, in Wheeler's case, retiring.

Bringing Realmuto back through the 2027 season would give the Phillies a catcher for two more years, and if he could stave off further regression, then Philadelphia would have a catcher with a strong rapport with the pitching staff locked up for the next two years.

A replacement for Realmuto needs to be in the cards this offseason, but with the concerns brought up by McDaniel, the veteran catcher has a strong chance of returning to Philadelphia, where he's likely to land the best deal possible.

More Phillies news:

Contributing Writer