The Philadelphia Phillies came into the offseason with a few massive free agents hitting the market. The team opted to prioritize Kyle Schwarber in free agency, as they agreed to a massive $150 million deal with him on Tuesday.
Now the Phillies will be able to turn their attention to a few other talented stars in free agency.
MLB’s Mark Feinsand recently suggested that the Phillies would prioritize re-signing catcher JT Realmuto this winter. Realmuto is projected to sign a $34 million deal in free agency, per Jim Bowden of The Athletic.
“Schwarber was clearly the Phillies’ (No. 1) priority, so I would assume that they will now turn their attention to Realmuto,” Feinsand wrote. “The catching market is very thin on the free-agent front, and there aren’t a whole lot of options on the trade market, either. Now that they have the Schwarber deal done, I would expect Realmuto to be next on their to-do list.”
Schwarber was clearly the team’s top priority. There are a few holes left on the roster, but the team can’t afford to let catcher become a roster flaw, too.
Realmuto has been one of the better catchers in the game for a few years. He might not be at his best right now, but he’s still above average at the position. If the Phillies can bring him back on a short-term deal worth around $15 million a year, they’d be sitting in a great spot going forward.
More MLB: Orioles Pursuing $190 Million Ace After Pete Alonso Addition: Report