Phillies' Ace Details J.T. Realmuto's Unseen Impact

On paper, J.T. Realmuto is coming off one of his roughest seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, making his reunion with the organization somewhat questionable at first.

He owned an OPS of .699, hit 12 home runs, ranked in the 13th percentile in blocks above average, and in the seventh percentile in framing. 

However, Realmuto’s impact on the Phillies team goes well beyond just what his numbers say in the box score, and this was something that Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez made sure to emphasize during a recent media availability. 

“Huge impact. To me, he's one of the still one of the best catchers in baseball,” said Sanchez through his interpreter.
”Obviously, he's had a huge impact on me and I'm just happy, super happy to have him back.”

“It is easy and simple. 
So every time that I walk in, J.T.'s already in the kitchen, he has a laptop in his hands. He's looking at the opposing team, coming up with the report, helping us out, and I just think that's a testament to him and the preparation that he puts into it for us to go out there and be able to thrive. We, uh, dressed a couple of things that I was dealing with last year.”

Philadelphia largely has a veteran staff who have spent years working with Realmuto; that chemistry can’t simply be replaced with a free-agent signing or a trade. Plus, the Phillies shouldn’t want any other catcher working with their young arms, such as Andrew Painter, after seeing how he’s helped their veterans. 

If the Phillies had let Realmuto walk in free agency, it would have taken some time for the next catcher to get on the same page as Philadelphia’s pitching staff. There’s also a risk that the backstop would never have been able to completely replicate the scouting reports or repertoire that Realmuto created with his teammates. 

Realmuto’s three-year $45 million deal for a 36-year-old catcher is certainly a lot, but it’s important to remember that he brings much more value to the field outside of what his stats may say, and the Phillies' top starting pitcher confirmed that. 

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