MLB Rumors: Latest Buzz on J.T. Realmuto Contract, Josh Harrison to Nationals

When the Philadelphia Phillies traded for catcher J.T. Realmuto last offseason, it was widely assumed they would immediately begin work on extending the All-Star backstop.

But Realmuto remains without a contract, and given he will be a free agent at the end of the year, the Phillies risk losing one of their most productive assets.

Realmuto's monetary demands might be making things tougher on the Phils. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Realmuto and agent Jeff Berry are hoping to surpass former Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer's $23 million annual average, the record for the position.

Lauber also reported Realmuto's camp might be seeking something closer to the five-year, $130 million extension Paul Goldschmidt signed with the St. Louis Cardinals after the Redbirds acquired him from the Arizona Diamondbacks in December 2018.

Realmuto said "nothing's happened thus far" with respect to an extension, per Lauber, adding, "To be honest, I'm focused on the season at this point."

The former Miami Marlin noted he was pleased to see the Los Angeles Dodgers open the piggy bank to extend Mookie Betts, and he also said he believes teams at the top of the market will still be aggressive in terms of spending.

Such a financial ask might seem pretty audacious for a catcher, but Realmuto's production both at the dish and behind the plate probably merits such a deal.

The 29-year-old posted career-high marks in homers (25), RBIs (83) and slugging percentage (.493) during his first year in Philly. Realmuto also captured his first Gold Glove, and he ranked 15th in baseball in fWAR, per FanGraphs.

Realmuto can hit for power and for average. He ranked ninth in terms of catcher framing, per Baseball Savant, and also ranked second in defensive runs saved (DRS), per FanGraphs.

There is no question Realmuto has staked his claim as being the best all-around player at the position. But will he be paid like the best backstop in the bigs?

The Phillies already have $113.7 million committed to just seven players in 2021, per Baseball Reference, though a number of guys will also come off the books.

Regardless, it seems the Phillies will have to spend record-breaking money if they hope to retain Realmuto.

Josh Harrison Agrees to Deal with Nationals

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Veteran utility man Josh Harrison has agreed to a contract with the Washington Nationals, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network. As Heyman noted, the deal will not be completed until Harrison passes a physical.

Harrison initially signed a deal with the Phillies this offseason and was with the club during spring training. But he did not make the Phillies' Opening Day roster and was subsequently granted his release from the team Tuesday.

The 33-year-old gives the Nationals added depth at both second and third base, alleviating some of the defensive burden on veterans Howie Kendrick and Asdrubal Cabrera while also providing insurance in the event Carter Kieboom struggles. Harrison can also play the outfield.

While Harrison had a .480 OPS in just 36 games with the Detroit Tigers last year, he plays plus defense and can steal a base every now and then. Washington will hope the two-time All-Star can provide value as a bench piece.

All stats obtained via Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.