Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: 'Uncertainty' Surrounding Free Agency amid COVID-19

J.T. Realmuto is a pending free agent after this season, but the two-time All-Star catcher admits to feeling unsure of his future amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to The Athletic's Matt Gelb, Realmuto explained how the delayed start to this season hasn't allowed him to get a grasp on where things stand with the Phillies on a potential long-term deal. 

"There's a good chance that by this date something ... yeah, I would have known one or the other," he said. "So, there's uncertainty in our household, just not knowing what's going to happen. It has delayed the decision that we're going to have to make. It's really delayed what we know about our future."

MLB continues to formulate a plan for a shortened regular season. Owners approved a proposal for an 82-game regional season that starts in early July and a 14-team postseason. 

The MLB Players Association has yet to sign off on the proposal. 

Philadelphia acquired Realmuto from the Miami Marlins in February 2019 for a package that included catcher Jorge Alfaro and pitching prospects Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart. 

Realmuto lost in arbitration to the Phillies in February after filing for $12.4 million. The team countered with $10 million and won the case. 

The decision came after Realmuto had an inconsistent first season in Philadelphia. He set career-highs with 145 games played and 25 home runs, but his .275 average and .328 on-base percentage were his worst single-season totals since 2015. 

Per FanGraphs, Realmuto's minus-2 strike zone runs saved ranked eighth out of 10 qualified catchers last season. The stat measures a catcher's ability to frame pitches to get more or fewer strikes called. 

Despite that inconsistent play, Realmuto still led all catchers with 4.9 FanGraphs wins above replacement in 2019. He's one of the best all-around players at his position in MLB and has increased his home-run output each year of his career.