Phillies

“Sure Looks Like He is Going Back to the Phillies,” Says MLB Reporter of J.T. Realmuto

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Jan 19th, 2021 · 9:19 AM EST

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This would be quite the surprise. A nice surprise.

We had pretty much resigned ourselves to the idea of J.T. Realmuto going elsewhere in free agency, but the two-time All Star catcher is still out there as of 1/19/21.

With the Mets bringing in James McCann and Yankees seemingly closing the door on a J.T. move with their DJ LeMahieu signing, the Phillies are still in play, and Ken Rosenthal suggested Monday that they might be the frontrunner.

From Matt Rappa at Fansided:

In recent days, teams believed to still to be in the hunt for Realmuto have narrowed in on just two — the Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays. Yet, according to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal early Monday evening on MLB Network, there is a clear favorite. Philadelphia.

“I don’t know how it’s going to play out. I do know that Toronto will keep swinging,” Rosenthal said. “Realmuto is out there … but he sure looks like he is going back to the Phillies based on Jayson Stark’s report that they have offered him five years at over $100 million.”

J.T. turns 30 in March, so five years at $100 million would take him right up to his mid-thirties in a Phillies uniform. If they can get that done, re-sign Didi Gregorius, and add a starting pitcher, that’s not a bad team at all. Could be competitive with the Mets and Braves, who made some solid moves this offseason.

Higher stakes in the N.L. East. We’ll see how much the Phillies really want it.