Aug 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts with catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Ross
ORLANDO, Fla — When the Phillies first introduced J.T. Realmuto after acquiring him in a trade from the Miami Marlins in February of 2019, the catcher was asked about another potential addition to the club — free-agent right fielder Bryce Harper.
Nearly seven years later, Realmuto is a free agent for the second time. And Kyle Schwarber — back after signing a five-year/$150 million deal — was asked in his press conference about whether he's been in contact with the free-agent catcher.
"I mean, we've all been in constant communication throughout the offseason ... not just J.T., a lot of different guys on the team. We all have great relationships with each other," Schwarber said.
"I think that's been a great thing that we've had in Philadelphia here is that we've all come together and felt like that we are all going to have some really good friendships throughout the end of our days here."
Schwarber did acknowledge that when he was at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday to take his physical so his new deal could be finalized, he did did reach out to Realmuto to remind him how much his long-time teammates would like him to remain in red pinstripes.
"I sent him a text," Schwarber revealed. "A couple [of] guys [were] there yesterday when I was up in Philadelphia and I would be lying if I said I didn't send one to J.T. trying to see where he's at and coax him.
"But obviously, at the end of the day, I just went through the process," Schwarber continued. "I know the process he's going to be going through, and you want to be respectful to that as well, right? You want him to feel like he's making the best decision for himself, his family."
Money talked, but don't underestimate the role fans and community played in Kyle Schwarber's return
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While teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox have been linked to Realmuto, there hasn't been any indication that the Phillies aren't the favorites for the three-time All-Star.
MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reported Tuesday that the Phillies "have an offer on the table" to Realmuto. Matt Gelb of The Athletic added that Realmuto is "expected to return to the Phillies, possibly on a two-year deal," while also noting that he is "still exploring the free-agent market."
Realmuto is a difficult free agent to evaluate.
He posted just a .700 OPS last season, and the two-time Gold Glover's Statcast Fielding Run Value has slipped from 15 in 2022 to minus-7 in 2025. Considering he'll turn 35 in March, giving him a multi-year deal is a risky investment.
But while Realmuto isn't nearly the player he once was, there are so few quality catchers in the sport. He still caught over 1,100 innings this past year. And his preparation — something that's hard to quantify statistically — is constantly lauded by pitchers. When you look at things from that perspective, it wouldn't be entirely shocking if Realmuto gets a three-year deal, though a two-year pact obviously would be preferable for the Phillies.
What will be interesting is if a team like the Pirates is willing to give Realmuto a third season, and the Phillies hold firm a two. Would the largest deal win out, even if it comes from a team that hasn't played in the postseason since 2015?
Like the Phillies, Schwarber is hopeful that Realmuto will return to the team, and has expressed that. But he's going to give Realmuto the appropriate space to make his choice.
"Selfishly, I think that we would all love to have J.T. back because we know what he brings to the table and how important he is not just to our clubhouse and our the team, but what he means to Philadelphia and how he's carried himself and how he prepares to make sure he's gonna be available to catch as many games as he can," Schwarber said.
"Knowing that the catching position is such a demanding position, and how he's done it at such a high lever for years, he should be highly sought after. I'm hoping that at the end of the day, he's back in Philadelphia. But I know that there could be a lot of different circumstances that come in [to play].
