The Real Free Agent Domino of the Phillies Offseason
The first domino has fallen at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando. The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber on a five-year contract. The $150 million investment is hardly a surprise…
The first domino has fallen at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando.
The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber on a five-year contract. The $150 million investment is hardly a surprise after John Middleton nearly swore to it in July.
What comes next?
Ranger Suarez (somehow) entered the MLB offseason with almost no foreseeable scenario to remain with the Phillies in 2026.
J.T. Realmuto is – and has been all along – the most impactful free agent pendulum of the Phillies offseason.
J.T. Realmuto
Realmuto will turn 35 during spring training. He's been behind the plate for over 1000 more innings than any other major league catcher since joining the Phillies in 2019.
He’s declined offensively at the most physically demanding everyday position in the sport.
| J.T. Realmuto | Batting Average | On-Base Percentage | Slugging Percentage | OPS+ | Home Runs |
| 2019 | .275 | .328 | .493 | 109 | 25 |
| 2020 | .266 | .349 | .491 | 124 | 11* |
| 2021 | .263 | .343 | .439 | 110 | 17 |
| 2022 | .276 | .342 | .478 | 130 | 22 |
| 2023 | .252 | .310 | .452 | 105 | 20 |
| 2024 | .266 | .322 | .429 | 107 | 14 |
| 2025 | .257 | .315 | .384 | 91 | 12* |
However, it’s the level of trust the Phillies place in Realmuto with pregame scouting and management of one of the best pitching staffs in the major leagues that sets his value far beyond quantifiable statistics.
Will Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies make another lucrative investment in an aging player?
Jayson Stark joined Bill Colarulo and Ricky Bottalico on Unfiltered with the latest on the swing that’ll determine the course of Philadelphia's offseason.
“There’s a similar understanding that they have with J.T. that they had with Kyle Schwarber, which is ‘Go out. Figure out what your value is (in free agency). We want you back. We will pay that.’ There does seem to be a difference of opinion here on exactly how many years that would be and — I think to some degree — how many dollars that would be. They’re still haggling.”
Will the Phillies ‘Run It Back’ This Offseason?
Insider projections estimate that Realmuto will sign a contract in the neighborhood of $45 million over three years. The market could sway based on the current underwhelming strength of major league catchers.
“You can’t have a player like this who has been in the best catcher in baseball conversation for this long and is this important and just underpay him because you think you can… It’s (about) trying to figure out not just what he’s worth but what you need to pay him to make him feel like he’s appreciated.”
Dombrowski told the Philadelphia media in October the Phillies won’t enter 2026 with a $400 million payroll. Re-signing J.T. Realmuto would almost certainly eliminate the flexibility to add another key free agent.
The Phillies have successfully restocked their starting pitching as the strength of their club. Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo will enter the 2026 season primed to step into roles at the top of the rotation with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola nearing their twilight years.
The organization has, however, failed to replenish their lineup similarly by developing solid major leaguers Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, or Brandon Marsh into franchise cornerstones. They’ll lean on Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Trea Turner into their late 30s. If Realmuto signs a long-term contract, they’ll tie themselves into a fourth aging veteran.
Stark also updated Unfiltered on two key hitters who have always been more likely to change teams during the MLB offseason. Schwarber leads the Phillies in at-bats since joining the club in 2022. Nick Castellanos and Alec Bohm rank second and third, respectively.
Stark expects that the Phillies will dangle Bohm in trade talks with a more reasonable asking price than last offseason, when they oversold his value as the reigning starting third baseman for the National League All-Stars. The Hall of Fame writer also believes the Phillies are more likely to release Nick Castellanos than trade him.
