Will J.T. Realmuto Return to Phillies? Latest Rumors on Contract After Schwarber Deal

The Philadelphia Phillies have tabled a formal contract offer to veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters Monday he was hopeful about the Phillies' chances of retaining both Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber and hoped for an outcome soon.

"I think that we properly expressed that," he said. "I want those guys to know how much we respect them, how much we would like to have them back. All that. But there's a timeframe, too. It doesn't mean you have to do something else, but at some point you need to move some things forward. So I think that's been properly communicated."

Philly subsequently tied Schwarber down with a five-year deal reportedly worth $150 million.

Getting that piece of business done might force Dombrowski to be more calculating about Realmuto.

Zolecki reported the Phillies "do not have the payroll flexibility to acquire another big-time free agent from a group that includes Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette and Cody Bellinger" if both Schwarber and Realmuto stick around.

In the case of the latter, a long-term contract for a 34-year-old catcher is a risky proposition on its own.

Realmuto had his lowest slugging percentage (.384) over a full season in 2025, and he hit two fewer home runs (12) than in 2024 despite logging 137 more plate appearances.

Realmuto Hits for Cycle

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The three-time All-Star continues to be elite in holding baserunners at bay, and he remains effective on the basepaths himself relative to his position.

Still, catchers tend to decline more quickly given all of the wear and tear they put on their body across the season.

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel projected that two years and $32 million was fair offer for Realmuto. That would be a noticeable drop from the five-year, $115 million pact he last signed with Philly.

"Realmuto, 34, is still a standout athlete for a catcher and an excellent controller of the running game," McDaniel said. "The rest of his game has been regressing, 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 is by far the best backstop in free agency and the market quickly drops off. If push comes to shove, letting him walk might be a better course of action for the Phillies than giving him a contract that could age badly.