Shortly after the group’s season got here to an finish, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski indicated that veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto may see much less time behind the plate in 2025 going ahead. It wasn’t clear on the time what the specifics of that association may appear like, however Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer lately mentioned the membership’s plans concerning Realmuto in higher element, relaying that supervisor Rob Thomson advised this week that Realmuto’s efficiency could enhance if he receives an additional time off per week in the course of the season.
Whereas Realmuto performed simply 99 video games this season after present process knee surgical procedure again in June, he averaged 135 video games performed per 12 months from 2015 to 2023, excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 marketing campaign. Whereas soon-to-be 34 12 months outdated has obtained occasional time at DH and even first base all through his profession, the overwhelming majority of his work has come behind the plate. Meaning he’s sometimes sat simply as soon as per week all through his tenure behind the plate, a hefty workload for any backstop. Shifting to a schedule that sees him play one thing nearer to 5 video games per week with an additional time off would nonetheless depart Realmuto to mess around 115 video games per 12 months, a workload corresponding to these dealt with by Yankees rookie Austin Wells and Cubs teen Miguel Amaya in 2024.
Whereas 115 video games per 12 months wouldn’t mild up the leaderboards amongst catchers by way of quantity, it’s price noting that the majority catchers who rack up the taking part in time of a real on a regular basis participant see vital time at DH, first base, or one other place on the diamond. Salvador Perez, for instance, stepped as much as the plate for the Royals in 158 video games this 12 months however was behind the plate for simply 90 of these video games. 115 video games caught in 2024 would’ve been the eighth highest complete within the majors and simply 16 video games behind Cal Raleigh, who led the league with 131 video games caught.
Lauber notes Perez for example of how scaling again defensive duties behind the dish may also help getting older catchers stay productive on offense. From 2015 to 2018, Perez hit simply .252/.284/.448 (91 wRC+) whereas serving because the on a regular basis catcher in Kansas Metropolis. After harm woes worn out his 2019 season, Perez started to cut back his time behind the plate and has hit a much more strong .264/.309/.474 (109 wRC+) over the previous 4 seasons. On condition that Realmuto is a profession 110 wRC+ hitter who has slashed an much more strong .264/.325/.455 (114 wRC+) over the previous three seasons, it’s simple to think about Realmuto’s bat being among the many most impactful for his place within the recreation if he scaled again his catching duties.
With that being mentioned, Lauber notes that the Phillies haven’t approached Realmuto concerning the opportunity of extra fastidiously managing his workload in 2025. That’s not the one factor the perimeters haven’t mentioned, both; in keeping with Lauber, the Phillies have but to strategy Realmuto about an extension even supposing he’s poised to achieve free company following the 2025 season. With that mentioned, Lauber means that an extension may very well be mentioned both later within the offseason or sooner or later throughout Spring Coaching. It was simply final winter, in any case, that the Phillies slow-played their extension talks with veteran ace Zack Wheeler regardless of clear curiosity in a deal from each side. That deal wound up getting completed in early March after months of rumors surrounding the opportunity of extension talks.
Lauber speculates {that a} related deal to the one Wheeler signed, which assured him simply three years at a report AAV, may make sense for each side if the Phillies and Realmuto do pursue an extension. Catchers are dangerous long-term investments due to the bodily toll the place takes on the physique, and provided that an particularly prolonged deal appears considerably unlikely. Even a three-year extension would assure Realmuto a contract by the top of his age-37 season, which will surely carry some threat for Philadelphia provided that 35-year-old Travis d’Arnaud was the one catcher to garner even 300 plate appearances at age-35 or older behind the plate this season. With that being mentioned, subsequent 12 months’s class of free agent catchers figures to be comparatively skinny and the Phillies inner duo of Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchan conjures up little confidence as in comparison with the veteran, which may persuade the membership to roll the cube with Realmuto as he ages.
