The Philadelphia Phillies had a temporary vacancy for the starting catcher role after J.T. Realmuto left the team in free agency. Nevertheless, they managed to re-sign the three-time All-Star on a three-year, $45 million contract last month. Meanwhile, Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán also remain as the two backup options for the Phillies for 2026.
Paul Casella of MLB.com believes both Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán are fighting to secure their respective futures with the Philadelphia Phillies at spring training this year. Casella stated that only one of the two backup catchers will be part of the Phillies roster on Opening Day. He feels Marchán starts with a better chance than Stubbs of staying on the team.
“Barring an injury in camp, the Phillies will have to make a decision about which one they want to keep on the big league roster and which one they want to risk losing. The 26-year-old Marchán has more upside. The 32-year-old Stubbs has proven he can be a serviceable backup while also providing a boost in the clubhouse. This could be a decision that truly comes down to camp performance, though Marchán likely has the initial edge,” Casella wrote.