The Boston Red Sox were linked to J.T. Realmuto days ago, and the idea of Boston adding him was met with very mixed reviews.
Realmuto is a three-time All-Star with considerable talent, but the past two seasons suggest that his best days are behind him (as does his 34 years of age). This is not to mention that the Red Sox already have two backstops in Carlos Narváez and Connor Wong.
If Boston is indeed interested in Realmuto, for better or worse, that pursuit might be impacted by news arriving this week from The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney, who suggested that one of Realmuto’s other non-Phillies suitors in free agency, the Texas Rangers, might not be able to afford Realmuto, after all.
“The Rangers need to reconstruct their bullpen and find a catcher to replace Jonah Heim, whom they non-tendered,” they wrote. “But according to team sources, Texas lacks the payroll flexibility to sign top free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto, a native of Oklahoma. Danny Jansen and Victor Caratini are more likely free-agent pursuits, and a trade would be another possibility.”
Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari also called a Realmuto-Rangers deal unlikely.
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Realmuto’s MLB journey began with the Marlins in 2014, where the speedy catcher quickly emerged as a dual-threat force, blending elite defense with gap power. His 2018 breakout year (.277 average, 21 homers, and a Silver Slugger) solidified his stardom before a 2019 trade to Philadelphia reshaped his legacy.
In red pinstripes, Realmuto anchored the Phillies’ lineup through multiple deep playoff runs, amassing three All-Star nods, two Gold Gloves, and two more Silver Sluggers. His arm, clocked at MLB-leading pop times year after year, thwarted runners while his bat delivered clutch moments, like his franchise-record seven RBI game in August 2025 against Kansas City.
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The 2025 campaign tested him: a slow start gave way to a .276 surge post-June, fueling Philadelphia’s 96-66 division title and NLDS berth. Yet, finger woes sidelined him briefly in September, capping his line at .257/.315/.384 with 12 homers and 52 RBI.