J.T. Realmuto is sticking around as the Phils’ backstop.
Philadelphia is re-signing their veteran catcher on a three-year, $45 million contract, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic and Bob Nightengale of USA Today, keeping the leader of their pitching staff in place. The deal includes $5 million worth of incentives per year.
Realmuto, 34, hit .257 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs in 2025 and again served as the backbone of one of baseball’s most stable rotations.
The numbers tell the story. Over the past three seasons, Phillies starters rank third in MLB in ERA (3.88) and first in wins (181), quality starts (234), fielding-independent pitching (3.78) and chase rate (34.3 O-Swing%).
Realmuto first joined the Phillies in 2019 after the organization acquired him in a trade from Miami, later returning on a five-year, $115.5 million contract — which remains the highest average annual value ($23.1 million) for a catcher ever signed in free agency.
Since signing, he has made two All-Star teams, won a Gold Glove and caught more innings than any other catcher in the Majors. In that span, he’s slashed .262/.327/.437 with a 109 OPS+, and his postseason production has been steady — seven home runs and a .745 OPS over four playoff runs.
Manager Rob Thomson has often pointed to Realmuto’s approach as a separator. “J.T. is the most prepared catcher I’ve ever been around,” Thomson said back in October.
After the Phillies missed out on signing Bo Bichette, it became clear that a reunion was imminent. The club had reportedly extended a three-year deal to the catcher recently.
With Realmuto’s return, the Phillies maintain a core piece of their roster and the familiarity that has played a central role in the club’s rise over the past four seasons.