The Red Sox are showing interest in free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto, per a report from Ken Rosenthal and Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, though they note that there’s still an expectation Realmuto will re-sign with the Phillies.
Realmuto has been one of the best catchers of recent history, if not the very best. He has been a mainstay in the big leagues for over a decade now. From 2015 to 2025, he appeared in at least 125 games in all but one full season. The only exception was 2024, when a knee injury limited him to 99 contests. For that 11-year span, he led the majors among primary catchers with 1,362 games played and 36.7 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs.
The question now is what he can be in the future. He will turn 35 years old in March. In 2025, he slashed .257/.315/.384. That resulted in a 94 wRC+, indicating he was 6% below league average. That’s still passable for a catcher but it was the first time Realmuto finished below the century mark since 2015. His glovework also seems to have tailed off a bit, per outlets like FanGraphs, Statcast and Baseball Prospectus. He can still throw out attempted base stealers and is decent in terms of blocking but all outlets agree his framing has been subpar for the past three seasons.
Flaws aside, Realmuto is still the top free agent catcher this winter. MLBTR predicted him to land a two-year, $30MM deal, though a three-year isn’t totally out of the question. Other on the market include Victor Caratini and Danny Jansen. The Rangers recently added Jonah Heim to the pile when they non-tendered him last week.
Many in the baseball world expect Realmuto to end up back in Philadelphia. He has been with the Phillies since 2019 and has already re-signed with them as a free agent once. As mentioned in the report from The Athletic, his family owns a home in Clearwater, Florida, the spring training home of the Phillies. While Realmuto is a free agent, the Phils currently have Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs as their top catchers. They have to do something to improve their catching corps. However, the Phils have a bunch of other priorities this winter. They also want to re-sign Kyle Schwarber and remake their outfield.
For the Red Sox, there’s little harm in checking in to see if there’s a chance they can pry Realmuto away, as their catching group could be strengthened. Carlos Narváez had a nice rookie season in 2025 but he’s still fairly inexperienced and trailed off as the season went along. He hit .241/.306/.419 for a 97 wRC+ for the whole year but just .187/.233/.387 for a 64 wRC+ in the second half. Connor Wong seemed to take a step forward in 2024 but then hit just .190/.262/.238 in 2025.
Both of those catchers are still optionable, so it’s possible for the Sox to sign Realmuto and bump one down to Triple-A as depth. Realmuto’s right-handed bat would fit nicely on a lineup that leans left-handed right now, though Narváez and Wong are also righties. It’s also possible the Sox would be drawn to Realmuto as a veteran clubhouse leader for a team that skews young and inexperienced.
The Sox will have to balance that pursuit with other priorities. One big target for them this winter was to bolster the rotation and they acquired Sonny Gray from the Cardinals earlier today. They will probably look for more pitching and could try to re-sign Alex Bregman.
RosterResource projects the Sox for a $177MM payroll and $223MM competitive balance tax figure. Last year, those numbers finished at $207MM and $245MM. That could give them something like $20-3oMM to play with if they are willing to spend similarly in 2026, though it’s possible their playoff berth in 2025 prompts them to push things up higher.
Their ability to pursue a notable catching upgrade will depend on what they have to spend and how things proceed with their other targets. Even if they can’t pluck Realmuto from Philadelphia, perhaps they will turn to some of the other available backstops.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images
Very hard to see him in a uniform other than Phillies. I completely forgot that he played for the Marlins prior to 2019.
vader – Ironically he was traded for three players who all amounted to nothing, including former Red Sox catcher Jorge Alfaro. Hill got totally robbed, just one reason why he didn’t last very long as POBO.
And multiple people on this board were bashing the Phils for that trade.
Because magic beans are always better than the cow
Bread taste better than key
Everyone was really high in Sixto Sanchez at the time. I’ve heard people blame COVID for his downfall, but it very well could’ve happened in a normal year, not to mention 2020 was the only year he was healthy.
Losing with the Marlins in front of an empty stadium can try a young man’s soul.
He had a decent amount of injury history before that trade. It sadly, continued after.
Natvaez didn’t tail off. He tried playing through a bum knee. Would love for JTR to leave Philly but this is nothing about nothing. I’d be shocked if he left Philly. That said, it would be intriguing as he’s still good behind the plate and could DH if Ref doesn’t return.
dewey – I’ve always been a fan of JT as well, but he’s declined quite a bit since 2022 and 35-year-old catchers tend to decline further ….. not improve.
I agree he’s more valuable to Philly than anyone else, so he probably stays put.
And I think the Red Sox DH spot will be a rotation with other candidates.
35 year old catchers are like 40 everywhere else. Too much being beaten up over the years.
I like JT also, but doubt a multi year contract is coming for him. Maybe a second year option year.
Not to mention there is a certain other former Philly I’d rather see occupying our DH spot.
He’s not a former Phillie yet and it’s Phillie not Philly. You cheer for a Phillie and you smoke a Philly.
Going for it in 2026 with future of MLB unknown!
I like J.T. But he’s another piece I wouldn’t mind the Phillies moving on from if they could trade for a solid, younger, controllable catcher for less money (to spend the savings elsewhere).
The Phillies need to reinvent the line-up a bit. And Harper and Turner are locked in (most likely) given their contracts (I know Harper’s is pretty reasonable, aside from the years remaining to some extent. But I doubt he’s going anywhere).
I suppose I’d be alright with Realmuto returning on something a like 2-year, $32-$36 million dollar deal. But I wouldn’t want to go much beyond that for him.
The problem with moving on from JT is they have no one in the system to replace him.
Yeah, I thought Marchán would’ve shown more by now, but that might be an impossibility with a guy as established as JT in front of him.
Yes, but who?
Harry Ford and Adley Rutschman are the two options worth considering imo, and both would require an overpay. Everyone else out there is a stopgap option, and the Phillies try to avoid those.
Ford, at least, would come with plenty of club control, but Adley’s well on his way to free agency and wasn’t much better than JTR on a per game basis. I imagine Seattle would want Stott to headline an unreasonable package, and Baltimore would probably ask for Painter. Neither club is in a rush to trade their catching depth. The O’s probably need to see Basallo succeed (on both sides of the ball) before they seriously considered a trade.
Sean Murphy would be a great add for Philly, but they’d need to launder him through a third-party/lame-duck GM who doesn’t care about his relationship with Alex Anthopoulos–because the Braves aren’t trading Murphy to the Phillies.
Harry Ford would be perfect, but it’ll cost and the Mariners need a LHR, 2B, and/or RF. You’re right about Stott. They’d probably throw in someone like Emerson Hancock/Logan Evans/a prospect starter not named Anderson or Sloan if the Phils add Strahm. But I can’t imagine the Phils doing that until just before spring training, even if they lose out on Realmuto.
2nd point: the best catcher in the game at the moment is Cal Raleigh. Such biased reporting.
The biggest problem you have with Murphy, Ford and Rutchmen is that all three of those teams are looking to compete in 26. These arent players that are available anymore than Trea Turner or Zack Wheeler.
I might be over stating Murphy a little. The Braves have an emerging backstop in Baldwin.
Two issues; one you brought up. The Braves and Phillies have line up on three trades this entire century ( in 2023, 2002 and 2000) and its not just on AA. This is pretty normal behavior.
The other issue is, Murphy is probably worth more to the Braves than he is to other teams. Intangibles and what not. The Braves have some motivation to give him a bounce back opportunity after his surgery.
Please take him Red Sox. Phillies are repeating their mistakes from 2012 period by hanging on to players who are popular but no longer worth the cost. Better to have a catcher like Marchan who can handle the pitch calling etc and put the money into a Bregman or Tucker.
I agree. This core is rapidly diminishing. Changes need to be made. He is a great guy, he has some nice streaks but the spaces in between are getting longer. I would rather they develop another young guy who can share time with Marshan or costs way less.
Use the money to get somebody who moves well, hits and fields.
Red Sox are banking on yesterday’s heroes, forgetting it is now today. To heck with tomorrow.
trying to turn back the clock to 1978
I don’t think so. The Red Sox lost in 1978. In fact, they lost the entire decade. And the decade after that and the decade after that.
But don’t let the blings from the four rings obstruct your view of the last 20 years. It’s been glorious .., for one of us at least.
about time you have some history to talk about, considering there were generations of Red Sox fans who were born, lived a miserable life as a Sox fan, and died without ever witnessing their team win a championship, mostly at the hands of the Yankees.
But we righted that ship this year and once again everyone is in their rightful place, the Yankees as predator and the Sox as our prey.
Oh wow, that’s a new one. Trying to flex the “27 rings”/”Yankees are back” crap in the same year you guys got run out of the ALDS in 4 games by Toronto. How the mighty have fallen.
And btw – how many of those Yank World Series trophies were you alive to witness, Mr. Predator?
Kinda don’t see the fit unless they are trading someone, but Navarez/Wong isn’t a half bad combo. I mean Realmuto is better, but still I’d think that money is better served elsewhere
I’m comfortable with this. Now this is more like it from the Red Sox front office….”We’re in on everyone!”
Guaranteed not a real thing, as soon as the F.O. says they’re in, the team is out. There hasn’t been any smoke signals from a signing or trade before it happened in Breslow’s tenure
Just sign Jonah Heim for 2/10. He should hit about the same and isnt bad defensively (strictly from the eye test).
Yay, past his prime and helps minimally. Let’s sign him. He can pair with gray in the retirement home softball game.
Ya’ll don’t realize just how awful Connor Wong was this season when healthy.
Narvaez + Realmuto would be a solid tandem to go into the season.
At this point, I notice most people who start their comments with “ya’ll” just say things because they want to, not because they’re right.
Smoke more pine tar, that may clear your mind next time.
Most similar is some guy named Carlton Fisk. MVP votes at the age of 42. Well, well. This is interesting. I see him as an occasional catcher, first baseman and designated hitter. Leadership is the key here. He’s a tough competitor, not unlike Bregman. I can see bringing him in to help mentor the young ones. I just don’t know if he’d be satisfied with his role on the Red Sox. That said, I’m sure he’d be happy waving to the fans at the championship parade. Might as well kick the tires on a great ballplayer.
He hasn’t played first or DH’d. He also has been through several years of not winning a World Series and he doesn’t seem to lead nor pick up the young guys and direct them to victory. You’re buying an aging catcher who gets hurt, hits well during streaks, some occasional power here and there.
He has done both but the Phillies have had atrocious backup catching over the past three years plus so they have needed him back there as much as possible.
Bring him on to help teach the kids.
Fun move if it also includes re-signing Bregman or signing Alonso/Murakami. They need an elite bat to pair with Anthony. Most will be down on JTR given his age (understandable), but he might enjoy the short porch in left.
Who’s on first?
Always respected Realmuto and I’d love to see him in a Red Sox uniform…..5 years ago.
Only a matter of time before all those innings caught,games played catches up and the vast drop off occurs
If he were there just to DH maybe, but i don’t see the fit
“Realmuto has been one of the best catchers of recent history, if not the very best. ”
Yadier Molina says hello.
Recent history in today’s world is maybe a month and Yadier hasn’t caught in three years.