The Philadelphia Phillies may soon look to pivot at catcher, according to a report from Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. J.T. Realmuto has had an offer from the Phillies on the table for a few weeks. Realmuto has yet to re-sign with the club. Lauber said the expectation is still that Realmuto will re-sign with the Phillies. However, theoretically, the longer the offer sits on the table, the less likely it becomes that Realmuto returns to the Phillies. Sooner rather than later, the Phillies need to decide whether they want to continue playing the waiting game with Realmuto. While the catching position is weak, it may be best to move on. This would allow the Phillies to allocate the money elsewhere. The Phillies could use help at multiple positions.
Phillies Might Pivot At Catcher
Secondary Options At The Positions
There are some alternative options for the Phillies at catcher, but they are not great. Lauber indicated the Phillies would first look to other free agent catchers or the trade market if Realmuto leaves. It seems, regardless of what happens with Realmuto, the Phillies would prefer not to have Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs as their catching duo. Tyler Stephenson of the Cincinnati Reds and Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins are potential trade candidates. Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles probably won’t be traded. Stephenson and Jeffers are both under team control through the 2026 season. Acquiring either one would be a short-term move. The Phillies do not currently have a catcher of the future in their minor league system.
Potential Free Agent Signing At Catcher
Victor Caratini is probably the best available free agent catcher outside of Realmuto. Caratini had a .259/.324/.404 line with 12 home runs and 46 RBI, both career bests, in 114 games for the Houston Astros in 2025. Furthermore, in 2025, Caratini recorded a 104 wRC+ and a .282 BABIP. 2021 and 2025 are the only seasons in which Caratini has played in at least 100 games. In addition, the 2021 season is the lone year in which Caratini played at least 100 games at catcher. Marchán also has durability concerns. It is more likely that Marchán would be paired with a new acquisition than Stubbs. This is because Stubbs is on a split contract and Marchán is out of minor league options.
Alternate Allocations Of Money
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Phillies are among the teams interested in free agent infielder Bo Bichette. Lauber also mentioned Bichette, as well as free agent infielder Alex Bregman, as players the Phillies could sign if they opt to look elsewhere at catcher. The Toronto Blue Jays recently signed Kazuma Okamoto, which may make it less likely that Bichette re-signs with the Team. Bichette is expected to move to second base or third base from shortstop. Bryson Stott has limited major league experience at third base. If Bichette or Bregman signs with the Phillies, it will make it easier for the team to trade Alec Bohm or Stott. Bichette has connections to Don Mattingly, who is expected to be the Phillies’ new bench coach.
Main Photo Credits: