In an offseason full of uncertainty, JT Realmuto – the legendary catcher of the Philadelphia Phillies – opened up about his feelings about the rumors of his departure that made fans restless. “Philadelphia has always been my home. I’ve always been attached to the team, the teammates and the fans,” Realmuto confided in a recent interview, his voice quiet but sincere. But whether I’ll see him in red, white and blue next season… is still a big question mark.
The 2025 season wasn’t Realmuto’s best in terms of power, as he hit just 12 home runs and 52 RBIs in 134 games, marking two consecutive seasons of declining home run numbers compared to 20 HR in 2023 and 14 HR in 2024. His average OPS over the past two years is .722, which ranks 118th among position players, but that doesn’t tell the whole story about JT.
Realmuto remains a solid defensive wall for the Phillies. With a +6 caught stealing rate and a pop time of 1.86 seconds – ranked in the 99th percentile by Baseball Savant – he remains the best defender at home plate in MLB. At the same time, his close relationship with the pitching staff and his ability to read the game still help JT control the tempo of the game, something that will be hard for the team to replace.
At 34, about to turn 35 in March, Realmuto faced a harsh reality: the Phillies might not retain him, and if they couldn’t sign a free agent to replace him, their only options were Marchán and Stubbs – catchers who weren’t good enough to be the mainstays. This made every Phillies fan hold their breath, wondering if they would see JT on the field again next season or if they would have to say goodbye to the legend.
With this in mind, the story of JT Realmuto is not just about numbers or achievements, but about love, loyalty and unforgettable moments in Philadelphia – where every pitch, every decision and every game he made was etched into the hearts of fans.
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