J.T. Realmuto is too valuable to Zack Wheeler and the Phillies’ pitching staff to let walk, even if his offense lags

I’ve never seen J.T. Realmuto so hopeless at the plate.

It’s as if he’s lost his timing; as if he cannot recognize pitches out of the pitcher’s hand; as if he forgets the scouting report and pitchers’ tendencies. He looks like he’s guessing about what’s coming next and guessing about where it’s coming before the pitcher even begins his windup.

He’s tough as nails, smarter than a whip, a man of high character and unmatched professionalism. However, he is 34, and he is painful to watch.

Which is a strange way to begin an argument about signing him to a contract extension.

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Realmuto is in the final season of a five-year, $115.5 million contract that has, for the last four years, made him the highest-paid catcher in baseball; fitting, because he was, for much of that time, one of the two or three best catchers in baseball.

Perhaps it’s time to adjust the parameters by which he is judged. Perhaps it’s time to acknowledge that he’s no longer the best all-around catcher in baseball. His OPS has declined from .762 in 2023 to .751 last season to .676 through the first Phillies’ first 54 games of 2025.

That doesn’t mean Realmuto doesn’t retain immense value.

He’s the everyday catcher on the No. 1 team in the National League, a team that occupies that spot mainly because the pitching staff is so damn good, again.

Pitching coach Caleb Cotham, manager Rob Thomson, and president Dave Dombrowski deserve plenty of credit for creating this staff around ace Zack Wheeler, but really, Realmuto is the secret sauce. The way he has handled the headstrong Wheeler, pliant Aaron Nola, wafty Ranger Suárez, bloodless Cristopher Sánchez, twitchy setup man Matt Strahm, and combustible closer José Alvarado is stuff sports psychologists would bottle and sell if they could.

What is that worth?

Two more years and $20 million, at least. Thirty mil, if that’s what it takes. Do it now, if he’ll take it.

Why wait?

Wheeler’s a Phillie for two more years, and he’s been the best pitcher in baseball since he joined Realmuto and the Phillies in 2020. At $10 million a year, big bat or not, if it keeps Wheeler happy and productive, Realmuto would be a bargain. Even $15 million would be fair.

As ordinary as he has become as a hitter, he somehow has become an even better catcher. He seems to be receiving the ball and blocking the ball at a high rate; since re-signing with the Phillies in 2021, he ranks eighth in blocks above average, according to BaseballSavant.com, and that is his greatest weakness.

His caught-stealing proficiency in that time span is by far the best in baseball, and his “pop time” throwing to second base was No. 1 from 2021-24 and is No. 2 this season. Most teams don’t bother trying to steal.

His intangibles carry even greater value.

His pregame preparation, especially early in the season, has become even more comprehensive, precise, and accurate, and is better than almost every other catcher in the league; this, according to the handful of new pitchers on the Phillies’ staff. He spends two or three hours before the first game of every series against every team the Phillies have not yet faced that season, then about an hour a day for every subsequent game. There isn’t a hitter in the league whose tendencies, preferences, and heat zones he isn’t familiar with, up to that minute.

More than anything though, he knows the pitchers.

Wheeler was a very good pitcher before he arrived in Philadelphia: 44-38 with a 3.77 ERA in five seasons with the Mets. But he’s the 65-33 with a 2.90 ERA in the last five-plus seasons, including a 2.18 ERA in 12 playoff games.

Nola continued his rise as an elite pitcher when the Phillies traded for Realmuto before the 2019 season. He’s helped newcomer Jesús Luzardo become one of the top 10 pitchers in baseball this season. Nobody knew Sánchez or Suárez would be good, this consistently, this quickly.

It’s not all J.T. But some of it is.

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Now let’s think about the bullpen. Jeff Hofmann signed a minor-league deal to join the Phillies in 2023, pitched with J.T. for two seasons, then got $33 million from the Blue Jays. Craig Kimbrel was an All-Star closer and worth every bit of the $10 million he got in 2023 before he ran out of bullets in October. Realmuto has eased Orion Kerkering into the big leagues, and after a rough beginning to this season, Kerkering is himself again. Jordan Romano has turned back into a topflight closer after a few weeks of adjustment.

Again, these pitchers aren’t pitching great only because of J.T. Realmuto. Number one, they have talent. Number two, the Phillies’ coaching staff is outstanding. Number three, with Wheeler out front, and with Nola at his hip for the last five years, between their durability, consistency, and filthy stuff, a lesser catcher probably would have experienced much of real success.

He is utterly beloved by most of the pitching staff, all of the coaches, the manager, the lineup’s starters, and, most importantly, by Bryce Harper.

Harper gets a lot of credit for convincing the Phillies to sign Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, and Trea Turner. Don’t forget though, during the COVID summer restart camp, Harper famously exclaimed, “Sign him!”

They should do it again.