Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski spoke to reporters (including Matt Gelb of The Atheltic) during his end-of-season press conference today regarding the club’s plans headed into 2025 after a disappointing end to their season that saw them knocked out of the NLDS by the division rival Mets in four games. With the club’s entire lineup and starting rotation under team control for 2025, at first glance it may seem as though the Phillies don’t have many obvious places where they can improve. That won’t stop the club’s front office from looking for upgrades, however, as Gelb relays comments from Dombrowski about being “open-minded” and “exploring” possibilities when other teams inevitably come calling this winter.
That could mean making changes to the players on the roster, of course, but one possible change Dombrowski highlighted could come internally: less of J.T. Realmuto behind the plate. The 33-year-old veteran has spent the past six seasons in Philadelphia and is entering the final year of his contract with the club in 2025. The three-time All-Star finished in the top seven of NL MVP voting as recently as 2022 and has been an above average hitter in every season he’s spent with the Phillies, but also endured one of the worst seasons of his career in 2024.
The veteran backstop missed just over a month after undergoing knee surgery in June, and while he posted a solid .266/.322/.429 (109 wRC+) slash line in the 99 games he did play, he did so with lackluster defensive numbers behind the plate that stand in sharp contrast to the reputation he earned as one of the game’s elite defensive catchers earlier in his career. Realmuto’s blocking and framing were both well below average per Statcast, and Fangraphs’s Defense metric rated him as just the tenth most valuable defender of 16 catchers with at least 400 plate appearances this year. Given Realmuto’s waning defensive value behind the plate and the possibility that more rest could help him stay healthy and productive, it’s not entirely a surprise that the club would consider broaching the possibility of Realmuto taking on less of the team’s catching duties with the veteran.
With that being said, however, the possibility of Realmuto playing less frequently behind the plate raises questions about whether he’ll spent the extra time playing elsewhere in the lineup or on the bench. It’s hardly unheard of for even the most well-regarded veteran catchers to start spending more time at DH or first base as they enter their mid-30’s, with Royals veteran Salvador Perez (who played just 91 of his 158 games in 2024 at catcher) standing out as a prime example. That may be easier said than done for the Phillies, though, as the club currently has Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber installed at first base and DH on a regular basis. Both sluggers have experience in the outfield and could theoretically play left field on occasion to free up time away from catcher for Realmuto, though it’s unclear if the Phillies are willing to move either star out of their usual position to accommodate Realmuto.
Finding playing time away from catcher for Realmuto could be even more complicated depending on how the club looks to overhaul its outfield mix. Dombrowski indicated that both Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos figure to feature prominently in their outfield mix next year, but he did not offer those same guarantees to Johan Rojas after a disappointing season where he posted a lackluster 68 wRC+ in 363 trips to the plate. If the club plans to move Rojas into something closer to a fourth outfielder role, they’d have the ability to make an addition in either left or center field, depending on their willingness to move Marsh back to center on a regular basis after he started just 35 games at the position in 2024.
While a pursuit of superstar outfielder and top free agent Juan Soto would be a shock for a Phillies club that already has lots of money tied up in a number of star players, the coming outfield class is deep in interesting bats such as Tyler O’Neill, Jurickson Profar and (depending on his player option decision) Cody Bellinger who could slide into the club’s outfield mix to improve the offense. Of course, any addition to the outfield mix would only serve to further limit the club’s flexibility in playing Realmuto away from the catcher position, but that could be well worth it if it meant upgrading the offense overall.
As the Phillies ponder where to make changes this winter, one place that won’t be happening is the dugout. Dombrowski revealed earlier today that manager Rob Thomson has been extended through the end of the 2026 season, adding an additional year to a contract that otherwise would have left the skipper a lame duck headed into next season. When discussing his newest contract with reporters (including Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer) Thomson made it clear that he expects Philadelphia to be the final stop in his lengthy coaching career. Thomson famously planned to retire following the 2022 season when he was still bench coach of the Phillies, but plans changed when the club fired then-manager Joe Girardi, promoted Thomson to the top job, and the club went on an improbable run to the World Series.
In all, the Phillies have posted a strong 250-185 record under Thomson’s management in the regular season, to go with a solid 20-11 record in postseason games after the club made it to the playoffs in all three years he’s been at the helm. In spite of all that success, however, the 61-year-old hardly seems interested in committing to a lengthy tenure in the Phillies dugout as March relays that Thomson plans to take things year-by-year after his latest contract expires following the 2026 season. That’s hardly an unheard of arrangement for veteran managers, with Rockies skipper Bud Black standing out as a notable current example of a manager who has taken a number of one-year extensions rather than work out a longer-term arrangement, including one just last week.
Opener, it’s gonna be a quiet off season for the phils. 12 hours later the 4th Phili article of the day is posted lol
Nothing is quiet with Dave Dombrowski lol
Yeah fans that follow him are easy to bait.
If we sign Profar, I may vomit.
“If we sign Profar”…Propar needs to stay in S.D. Anywhere else there’s a high risk of him turning back into a pumpkin.
The “Dom”, Dave Dombrowski, is one of the best at signing free agents and I cannot see him being interested in the wildly inconsistent Jurickson Profar.
Nah, Preller loves Profar. He’s been with him since his time with the Rangers, and Profar performs as a Padre.
Step 1 is to bring up Marchan. Pinch hit Realmuto on Marchan days and you essentially are making a double move bc you’ll plug in a fielder in the next half inning.
Step 2 is to alternate him at DH on Harper and Schwarber days off.
And the answer is Adames. Move Turner to LF. Soto is a pipe dream, but Adames could be had.
Adames is gonna cost a ton and the Phillies have a shortstop already. You are being silly. A trade for Robert could make sense. Phillies should sell the farm imo maybe they finally win it all.
Do not sell the farm. TRUST IT. Crawford will take over in center field by next July. Miller will be Bohn’s successor at 3rd on ‘26 or ‘27.
phillyballers
Years ago the Nationals tried to make Turner an OF. Was a disaster.
The way Adames is now playing SS, the Phillies are better off with Turner there.
–
I know that every off-season posters solutions to all teams shortcomings is to sign or trade for veterans. Seldom does that pan out.
Well Adames didn’t look great last year, but he’s been a better SS overall than. I think you would have to bring in a bigger name to force Turner to move tho. He isn’t moving for Stott. Who is the most logical choice.
I don’t see how they are gonna reduce Realmutos workload and be a better team for it. He’s only signed through 2025.
The Phillies window is closing soon. They kept it open by raising payroll year after year and that is simply not sustainable. They do have some good prospects if they use those to keep it going that could help but they really gotta win it all soon to make all this add up.
You keep saying that their window is going to close but this year’s team and their run weren’t built with homegrown players. Who is to say that paying a luxury tax isn’t sustainable for large market team? Winning a division is an achievement in itself for their fanbase.
Yankees fans tend to not understand how the real world of baseball works. The Yankees can carry giant payrolls year after year they will be fine. The Phillies are not the Yankees.
Fans can’t be have objective opinions just like writers can’t, right?
Hey fans can have opinions but our opinions are created by our personal experiences. As I said the Yankees can buy players and spend more than others year after year. The Phillies can’t do that only the Dodgers and Yankees can and wouldn’t you know it those are 2 of the 4 teams left in the playoffs.
The Phillies have increased payroll by huge amounts the last few years. Nothing suggests it’s sustainable.
Yes, this season, three of the four remaining teams are huge market clubs with unlimited budgets but how often does that happen?
More and more. Every year there’s still one small market team that carries through, but it’s usually big markets in the end. We’re down to basically one bad high payroll team (the Angels). That’s it.
It happened last year too with the Dodgers, Astros, and Rangers all carrying luxury tax payrolls and making it to the LCS. Batting .000
I agree with YBC, there is no evidence that a winner can’t be built while consistently remaining above the luxury tax.
And BI, while no one is the Yankees in terms of revenue, Philly’s market size is right up there with LA and NY.
Harper could play half his time as an OF and DH. More DH ABs for Realmuto.
Try to trade either Castellanos or Schwarber (with some $ maybe) SEA, MIL, CIN, PIT, KC, SF, AZ, WASH
OF Byron Buxton in MIN (injury prone and No Trade clause but maybe?)
Many teams would probably have some interest. More in the latter player.
Bring back Hoskins in some capacity. He can only play 1B and DH, no OF/3B correct? No room?
FA Cedric Mullins as CF or above mentioned Byron Buxton.
Bullpen needs improvement; Internal candidates, trade or FA
Kenley Jansen?
Plan A, B, C and on.
I would trade Castellanos and Walker for Trout. Hope like heck Trout is healthy the next few years and prepare for things to be terrible after that because they probably will be regardless.
Buxton is also like that idea.
You could offer Bryce Harper straight up for Trout but the problem is Trout would have to say yes and i don’t think he would. As much as playing at home may be appealing, with his recent string of lost seasons to injury i doubt he wants to face that market and fan base every day
Harper and Trout would play together trading Harper away would be silly. I do think Trout would say yes. I think he wants to win and he’s from the Philly area.
Trout stated earlier in his career, during his MVP days, that there was comfort in not playing in front of his friend and family every day. You really think he’s changed his mind now that he’s nowhere near the player he was, and likely never will be?
Angels aren’t taking sunken costs in Nick and Walker to trade the greatest player in their franchise history
Is Blackpink “code” for Smoothbrain?
People get older. Things change.
Hey keep holding out hope for Tatis. I am sure it will all work out. I am talking about the Phillies acquiring all kinds of good players and all you want to do is whine and act entitled. Peace.
Why wouldn’t they? They can take those 2 guys who’s contracts both end after 2026 and get out of the end of Trouts contract. It actually makes a ton of sense for the Angels. They can suck through 2026 and get a fresh start after that. The way it is now Trout is going to weigh down payroll for the next half decade.
Are you responding to me? If so, I have not whined or acted entitled. I like to talk baseball and have interesting conversations about it. I’m not “holding out hope” for any one player, just promoting what I think are potentially interesting topics.
In regards to the “People get older. Things change” part of your comment…you’re right in that regard. But look at it from Trout’s perspective if you will. If he felt that having distance between where he played (work) and where his home was when he was an annual MVP candidate, do you really think he’d (or anyone) would want to come “home” and play in front of his family and friends with deteriorating skills? Most people wouldn’t.
But hey…I just whine and feel entitled, right?
Who said Trouts skills are deteriorating? You said that. It doesn’t make it true. Guys like to play where they grew up that’s not unusual or rare. And if all the Phillies had to give up was 2 bad contracts in Castellanos and Walker why on earth would you be against it as a fan?
Where did I saw that as a fan, I wouldn’t want Trout? My comment was strictly about Trout and his previously stated preference to have some separation between his personal and professional life.
Yes, I did say his skills are deteriorating because the biggest “skill” for any professional player is actually playing, something Trout has not done consistently since before most of us ever heard the word Covid.
If Trout has had trouble staying on the field between the ages of 28 & 33, do you really believe he’ll manage to do it between 33 and 38? If so, please name one player in baseball history who has done so.
Why wouldn’t I trade “two bad contracts” for Trout? Because he has a worse contract. I think the original idea—nothing that I was responding to originally anyway—was about Walker and Castellanos. They’re owed about $76mm over the next two seasons; Trout is owed $220mm+ over the next 6. Think I’d rather save the near $150mm and not acquire a player clearly on the backend of his career. (If there was any other name on his jersey, no one in Philly would want a player with Trout’s history or contract.)
When Trouts contract becomes a problem the Phillies will most likely be fading out of contention anyways. At least you would get a couple years where they can try and win a championship.
It’s weird how you are talking about Tatis acting as if there is some minor chance that happens but you don’t want to consider Trout and are talking about public statements he made years ago. That’s weird.
Trout’s contract IS a problem now. He makes nearly $40mm per year and can’t stay on the field.
It’s weird that I’m not regurgitating the same stupid nonsense—GET TROUT—that has been written and spoken about for the last ten years to no avail, and instead thinking about something more outside the box, and a acquiring a player that, at this point in time, is a BETTER all-around player than Trout is.
If you had your choice…who would you take?
And…if you were Trout, and you felt uncomfortable playing in front of your friends and family when you were an annual MVP candidate and the best player in baseball, would you want to play in front of them now?
Castellanos and Walker suck. Them being on the field might actually hurt the Phillies.
Tatis is not available. At all. Under any circumstances. Trout might be. Trouts window and the Phillies is similar whether you want to admit it or not.
Trout probably said all that nonsense so people wouldn’t suggest the Angles trade him. Players say all kinds of things they don’t mean to the media. Why you choose to believe him is weird.
I give up dude. Have a nice day.
Refuse to answer specific questions and then run away. Okay. Have a nice day as well.
**Why I chose to believe him? Because I’m pretty sure he made the comments in his press conference when he signed his long-term extension with Anaheim, basically keeping him there for his career. If he was hoping to squash trade talk, I think the contract with the no-trade clause did that**
But…whatever. No harm, no foul.. Have a nice day.
Hoskins??? No way.. he had a horrible year… just stop. That ship has sailed
Should try to find new fans. The ones that use the Internet are special.
The thing about Realmuto is this: even though he’s a Catcher, he’s one of the most athletic players on the Phillies. Above average runner, steals bases. etc.
The writer picked on him. OK. Realmuto doesn’t have to play only 1B or DH. Am sure he could learn 3B or LF in a reasonable time (and extend his career). That opens up a lot of possibilities – with the Phillies or for other teams. And as usual with these MLBTR early offseason articles, they don’t note players teams have in the high minors that while not highly heralded, oftentimes become game changes once the next season begins.
What’s not covered here is the teams payroll situation. My thought is simply that it will be scaled back some as there are too many high-salaried / past-their-prime veterans on it. So before the Phillies turn into the Blue Jays, I’d suggest that when DD speaks about being: “open-minded” and “exploring” possibilities – he’s not looking to plop Tyler O’Neill / Jurickson Profar / Cody Bellinger-types on top of the pile. That’s simply ridiculous.
At least 2 Phillies veterans (young or old) will be leaving, and the only one we can be sure of is Bryce Harper…..he’s not leaving.
One other thing that is missing about Realmuto that analytics doesn’t cover:
He has a rep as possibly the best handler of pitchers and caller of games in MLB today. I know that rotisserie league doesn’t factor
that in, but to some old-fashioned geezer-run teams that are primarily interested in winning, that’s looked upon favorably.
You’re not winning anything with a catcher playing in the field.
Tell that to Joe Torre, Dale Murphy, or Craig Biggio. Daulton Varsho will win a Good Glove this year. Positional changes don’t always work out, but to Samuel’s point, Realmuto is extremely athletic. If they want to save his knees, they make the move, and in return this will likely save his bat.
Those players had more offensive value than Realmuto. JT is a decent offensive player but his value is more equally tied to his position than the ones you mentioned.
He’s an exceptional catcher with a gun for an arm, but he’s also a very valuable bat, and not “just for” a catcher. He also is a great baserunner. If anything, getting him away from the grind of catching every day might give him the strength to improve upon the last few seasons he’s had in the batters box.
I’m not saying JT is a terrible offensive player, but he’s not an elite bat unless he’s behind the plate or at shortstop. His overall production is a tick above Castellanos—gets on bases slightly more and is a far better baserunner—but in terms of putting bat-to-ball and what happens, they’re very, very close, and I don’t consider Castellanos elite.
Having JT behind the plate, his value is 10. Put him anywhere else on the diamond—unless he turns into a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman—he loses value, and is probably a 6 or so.
SS in high school, option QB also
Tell that to Greg Luzinski… guy was a statue. Great Phillie… Also, pat burrell anyone
And who were they surrounded by? Gold Glovers/Gold Glove-caliber players in CF, third, and short. You could hide anyone in LF with those guys playing.
Bryce is a former catcher.
Schwarber is more recently a catcher than Harper, if we wanna play this game.
They can reduce Realmuto’s work load and still get his bat in situations where they need it. It’s not like its not unusual for Catchers not to catch 140-150 games. 125-130 is about average (or was, once upon a time).
The Phillies have OF help coming in Justin Crawford and Gabriel Rincones Jr. who could both be up by the end of next season.
Crawford will be starting in CF by August 1st, if not sooner.
If DD decides to cut ties with Hays, hope Orioles bring him back. His play is steady, predictable. Staying healthy is his baliwick.
Compliments Mullins well in the field. And rh bat that doesn’t seem affected by LF wall dimensions and height.
Jeff;
I noted that in the presser it was inferred that Marsh would move to CF.
As you’ve seen, much of what Hays does is not in the stats – backing up the CF on every play; running the bases well; hitting to the right side of the field to move a runner up in a close game; running the bases smartly; getting clutch hits or making clutch defensive plays; etc.
DD was first mentored and trained by Rollie Hemond with the White Sox in the late 70’s. He understands fundamental baseball and how important it is to winning (or losing if a team doesn’t do it). I believe he likes Hays a lot.
Almost all posters here thought Hays was acquired to be a platoon player (a narrative was set and readers believed it). We knew he wasn’t, and DD made that clear a few days after the trade. I’d suggest that if Austin shows up in ST healthy, he’ll be the Phillies primary LF in 2025. Surely the Phillies FO people will be monitoring his progress this offseason.
I don’t know if you saw Joe Rudi play. WS winning A’s. Angels. Others. One of my all-time faves. Wasn’t flamboyant. Not especially athletic. Didn’t have the best stats. A LF that would beat the opposition with his bat, glove, arm, and/or baserunning. What was described at the time as: “A money player”. Fans of his teams loved the guy. Austin Hays is the same way (has more speed though and can play CF if needed). Phillie fans that actually watch the games will love him…..if he’s healthy. Most posters on here will be quoting his stats and listing a bunch of me-first players with large salaries and selective better stats as an alternative to Hays and asking why DD isn’t bringing them in. Watch.
Samuel;
Love the Roland Hemond and Joe Rudi references. I’m grinning from ear to ear.
Was unaware of DD’s high regard for Hays as an everyday player. Interesting. Of course, he’s more than capable of being that guy … as long as health issues stay in check.
Sorry to see Long being kept on a batting coach. Too much emphasis on pulling and power; not enough on quality contact and building rallies. The hitters need different guidance to avoid the final series stagnation we have seen three years running.
Agree. How many times do they go into group slumps?