Zack Wheeler loves the guy

Phillies insider Todd Zolecki praised J.T. Realmuto on Monday. He also mentioned that he hopes the team finds a way to bring him back, who Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler likes catching his throws.

“Zack Wheeler, of course, loves the guy,” Zolecki said, via “The Phillies Show.” “Oh man, J.T. was absolutely great for me. I really hope he’s back. And that’s the consensus, I think you could throw any pitcher in the Phillies organization.”

Realmuto spent seven years with the team, but he is now a free agent at 35 years old. He finished the 2025 season with a .257 batting average, 12 homers and 52 RBIs.

Realmuto’s speed remains one of the best in the MLB, with an average pop time of 1.86 seconds to second base. His sprint speed ranks in the 76th percentile, at 28.4 ft/sec, a rare burst of quickness for a catcher.

Former Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto wants to explore the market as a free agent

The Athletic’s Matt Gleb reported that J.T. Realmuto and the Philadelphia Phillies are at a stalemate about a potential new deal.

“The Phillies and Realmuto are locked in a standoff, league sources said,” Gleb wrote on Saturday. “The club has discussed various multiyear offers with Realmuto, who continues to explore the market.”

He stressed that Philadelphia wants to spend a large amount to lock Realmuto into a multiyear deal, but the catcher has declined several options.

Phillies president Dave Dombrowski made it clear on Tuesday that the front office continues to find a way to re-sign Realmuto.

“We just continue to grind along and see if we can come up with a solution,” Dombrowski said to reporters. “We talk about, consistently, trying to sign J.T., and we remain that way. But we haven’t been able to get it done so far.”

He added that catcher is Philadelphia’s primary focus.