The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to win their opening series on Sunday against the Texas Rangers. The Phillies are coming off a strong season last year, where they won the NL East division and secured the second seed in the National League.
Their season, however, ended in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLDS. However, the team still believes they have a chance to extend their window this year, especially after retaining most of its players in free agency. That includes catcher J.T. Realmuto who re-signed on a three-year $45 million contract.
Realmuto has appeared in and started all three games so far this season for Philadelphia but that is soon going to change. Phillies manager Rob Thomson has decided to rest J.T. Realmuto on Monday, according to Ty Daubert of PhilliesNation.
Thomson knows Realmuto’s rest is important, making this a strategic move to bench the veteran catcher. The decision also allows Realmuto to return on Tuesday for rookie right-hander Andrew Painters’s MLB debut. This is important because Painter is a young arm and having Realmuto behind the plate could make him more comfortable.
Realmuto is coming off an down year by his standards. Last season, he hit .257 with a .700 OPS, 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, and eight stolen bases across 134 games, a noticeable drop from his prime in 2022, when he posted a .276 average with an .820 OPS, 22 home runs, 84 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 139 games.
Painter, originally drafted by the Phillies in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft, showed promise early in the minors. In his first professional season, he recorded a 0.00 ERA over four appearances, striking out 12 batters across six innings without allowing a run. The Phillies will now look to see how that potential translates to the major-league level in his debut.
Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10)© John Jones-Imagn Images
(© John Jones-Imagn Images)
Realmuto is a three-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove winner, and a three-time Silver Slugger. Realmuto has also received MVP consideration, finishing 14th in 2019 and seventh in 2022.
As Realmuto continues to age, the long-term outlook at catcher is uncertain for Philadelphia after his tenure comes to an end.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.