For Phils catcher J.T. Realmuto, contract talks clouded by uncertainty

Neither the Phillies nor All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto had been quiet about the fact the two sides were exploring an extension prior to MLB's shutdown in mid-March. However, the roster freeze implemented by the shutdown prohibits teams from negotiating long-term contracts with their players, so talks were halted. 

In a new interview with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Realmuto indicates the Phils had yet to present a formal offer, but he also speaks optimistically that a deal could have come together.

“There was definitely a feeling that things were about to start moving pretty quickly,” Realmuto tells Gelb in a wide-ranging interview that discusses Realmuto's mind-set during the pandemic shutdown, the upcoming free-agent landscape and MLB’s attempt to reboot the 2020 season. (Phillies fans, in particular, will want to read it in its entirety.)

The Phillies sent three players — catcher Jorge Alfaro, top pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez and young lefty Will Stewart — and international bonus allotments to the Miami Marlins last winter in order to acquire Reamluto’s final two pre-arbitration seasons. It has long seemed that the goal was to entice Realmuto to sign a long-term deal in Philly, adding him to a core group that includes Aaron Nola, Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins and Scott Kingery.

General manager Matt Klentak has gushed about Realmuto’s importance to the club and had no qualms about labeling him the game’s best backstop — an opinion with which many would agree. It’s understandable there would be strong interest in locking up the 29-year-old Realmuto for the long term.

Whenever the transaction freeze is lifted, the two sides will be able to resume negotiations. The Phils will still likely have interest in retaining Realmuto long-term, but mutual interest may be the only constant that carries over from previous talks. With a sure-fire loss of revenue on the horizon, there’s no guarantee Phillies owner John Middleton will be willing to put forth the same amount of dollars and years he might have under normal circumstances — or whether he’ll be willing to put forth an offer at all.

There’s also no telling how the looming uncertainty will impact Realmuto’s asking price and desire for stability. The catcher told Gelb that the “top tier” of free agents “always seem to find a way” to get paid. However, the forthcoming offseason has the potential to be even chillier for free agents than the tepid offseasons of recent years. Those led to allegations of collusion and set the stage for what could be a contentious wave of collective bargaining. (The current clash over player compensation in a shortened season only figures to exacerbate that tension.)

Given that owners are already seeking additional concessions from players who had previously agreed to prorated salaries, it’s hard to envision many teams handing out lucrative multi-year extensions when the freeze is lifted. 

Deferred money and back-loaded structures might curb some concerns from the team perspective, but the wide-ranging economic uncertainty will complicate extension negotiations in an unprecedented manner.