The Good Phight will likely be previewing the 2026 season by going over every place on the sector. We’ll speak concerning the gamers that can occupy them, the gamers behind them, their strengths and weaknesses and provides a couple of takes about how we expect the season will shake out.
One of the extra controversial roster choices shortly was made this offseason when the Phillies determined that they have been going to convey again J.T. Realmuto. While the temptation to say “they needed to move on” is tempting, the choices that have been obtainable to them on the free agent market have been, let’s name it, lower than interesting. They would have made due had a couple of free agent choices been totally different, however right here we’re in 2026 and we nonetheless have Realmuto right here.
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Should we anticipate something to vary?
The starter: J.T. Realmuto
Yup, again for an additional go’spherical. Signed to a 3-yr deal this offseason after dropping out on Bo Bichette, Realmuto returns to the Phillies hoping to pull a Cher. Disappointing from each an offensive and defensive viewpoint in 2025, the crew is hoping that Realmuto can stare down Father Time a couple of years longer whereas they try to discover some sort of long run resolution of their participant improvement system.
The backups: Rafael Marchan
There has been hope for a while that Marchan may be capable of hit juuuuuust sufficient to possibly unseat Realmuto because the starter and/or take a few of his taking part in time. However, once we have a look at the video games performed totals for each, there’s Realmuto with 132 video games as a catcher in 2026 whereas Marchan got here in at 42 (math doesn’t work, however Realmuto got here in loads as a pinch hitter and stayed within the sport).
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It appears that it doesn’t matter what, Marchan simply is not going to unseat Realmuto any time quickly. So, he’ll should be content material with persevering with to be a great caddie for him. Besides, he’s in all probability not a starter anyway.
The depth: Garrett Stubbs, Mark Kolozsvary, Paul McIntosh
To people who marvel why Stubbs retains getting minor league offers with a big minor league assure connected, I current to you the crew’s depth.
It’s fairly humorous to go searching at different groups within the league and see who has/doesn’t have catching depth. The Cardinals are in all probability the outlier as they’ve about 5 catchers which can be authentic choices on the main league stage, however many others are within the bind the Phillies are. They want somebody in case of damage, significantly when your starter is coming into his age 35 season. Stubbs can try this job for a couple of weeks, but when there’s a actual damage to Realmuto and the Phillies are pressured to begin Marchan and Stubbs for an prolonged interval, there is likely to be bother.
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Strengths: the beginning rotation loves ‘em!
We can’t actually put a quantity on the love that the beginning rotation has for Realmuto. Even Marchan was getting some love from the pitchers along with his preparation previous to video games. It’s one thing that we can’t quantify but, how good pitchers really feel with sure catchers behind the dish for his or her begins. We can have a look at rudimentary stats like catcher’s ERA to have some sort of thought, however how a lot of that belongs to the pitcher and his expertise stage, and the way a lot goes to the catcher’s capability to name and obtain video games?
However, with a crew that has its basis poured in its rotation, possibly maintaining Realmuto round some time longer is the smart transfer when contemplating a few of the options that they really had (Adley Rutschman was not getting traded, of us).
Weaknesses: how will Realmuto’s bat and glove fare one other yr older?
If there was a statistic that could possibly be used to inform part of Realmuto’s sport final season, he was worse in it than he was in 2024. Everything from the again of the baseball card stats to those which can be extra obscure, below the hood varieties. He simply was not good final yr….which makes me marvel.
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Was it a blip on his profession radar or the brand new norm?
The skeptic in us believes that is it, the decline section manifested. Aging curves which have traditionally proven catchers decline shortly appears to be coming true for Realmuto. Yet there’s nonetheless a tinge of me that believes he nonetheless can get again to at the least a mean catcher behind the plate and at it. Is {that a} standpoint taken with the rosiest coloured glasses identified to man? It’s attainable, doubtless even. It’s additionally in all probability one of many greater questions going through the crew this yr.
Hottest take: J.T. Realmuto makes the All-Star sport
Here come these rose coloured glasses once more.
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Listen, there are higher choices at National League catcher. There is one in Los Angeles, one in Colorado that is likely to be their lone consultant, and that’s simply the highest of my head. Yet with a good begin to his season, it’s simple to assume followers would vote for Realmuto, primarily thanks to call worth alone. What may that respectable begin should represent?
I do not know!
Does it imply at the least double digit residence runs and a batting common that makes even your favourite uncle nod in settlement? Probably. But Realmuto’s repute across the league might be such that if he’s off to a great begin, the gamers may ship him to Philadelphia this July.
Realistic take: it doesn’t look nice on paper, however the catching duo is completely nice
Listen, all of us succumb to Father Time sooner or later. When that occurs often will depend on how nicely we care for ourselves. Realmuto nonetheless takes fairly excellent care of himself, however his manufacturing is just not sufficient that he needs to be dictating how a lot taking part in time he will get in June, July and August. It is lastly the yr that Thomson tells Realmuto he’s getting video games off in the course of the week and that Marchan goes to play extra typically. We’ve been saying it for a while, however we have now reached the purpose the place, for the great of the participant and the crew, it must be achieved.
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Should that occur, there’s a path the place the cumulative manufacturing they put up (and anybody else ought to an damage happen) is sweet sufficient to be at the least common when in comparison with catching throughout the sport. Will they hit 20+ residence runs? No. Will they hit .250? Probably not. But the defensive worth, each what we are able to and can’t quantify, will in all probability add to no matter offensive output they’ve to provide them one of many higher catching tandems within the sport.