The Philadelphia Phillies made it to the World Series in 2022 but haven’t returned since. Even with a roster packed with star talent, the past three postseasons have ended in disappointment.
This offseason, several key players from the team are hitting free agency. Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and Ranger Suárez are all available and expected to draw significant interest. However, after showing signs of decline last season, Realmuto may not be the Phillies’ main focus.
Despite that, the 12-year veteran remains dependable behind the plate. According to Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 99th percentile for pop time and 95th percentile for caught stealing above average. At 34 years old, Realmuto is unlikely to secure a long-term contract, and Just Baseball’s Ryan Finkelstein projects he’ll receive a two-year, $24 million offer from the San Diego Padres.
“Realmuto is the type of veteran leader that makes a good team better, which is why there is every chance he returns to make another run in Philly,” wrote Finkelstein on Friday. “Another fun landing spot for him, however, would be San Diego, where he could help a Padres team that could use an upgrade over Freddy Fermin.”
Realmuto slashed .257/.315/.384 last season and hit 12 home runs. He played in 134 games, and even in a down year, he was better than Fermin. The Padres roster is loaded, and they will likely enter the season as World Series contenders. Adding Realmuto to a mix of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill could help the Padres get over the hump.
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