If one day the ABS challenge system simply becomes a fully automated strike zone, the job of an MLB catcher will become very different.
That day is not here yet, though, which means Philadelphia Phillies backstop J.T. Realmuto still has a crucial skill.
In the early going of the 2026 season, Realmuto leads all big league catchers in framing.
He’s the only catcher so far to have earned 2 Catcher Framing Runs, with the metrics showing that Realmuto does a particularly good job of picking up extra strikes at the top of the zone.
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Now there might be some out there wondering why, even now, this might be important.
The reality of the challenge system is that it can’t come into play all that often. A hitter with no one on leading off an inning isn’t going to challenge the first pitch of an at bat unless it’s a particularly egregious umpiring miss.
That’s where a guy like Realmuto still comes into play.
There’s a massive difference in expected outcomes between an 0-1 and a 1-0 count, and the same thinking applies for the difference between a 2-1 and a 1-2 count, for example.
There are still strikes to be “stolen” by quality receivers behind the plate.
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Sure, the challenge system may reduce the impact a handful of times throughout the game. If a hitter challenges correctly, it can erase what may have otherwise been a well-framed strike by the catcher.
But in those early counts, which seem lower stakes but can still matter over the course of a game and of a season, the catcher’s receiving remains crucial.
And Realmuto remains one of the best.
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