Catcher JT Realmuto and Philadelphia Phillies agree on a five-year, $ 115.5 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The $ 23.1 million annual average value of Realmuto’s bid is the highest for all the captains in Major League Baseball history. Realmuto is also only the third recipient in MLB history to sign a contract worth more than $ 100 million, joining Joe Mauer (eight-year extension and $ 184 million with the Minnesota Twins in 2010). ) and Buster Posey (nine-year, $ 167 million extension with the San Francisco Giants in 2013). Mauer previously had the highest annual average value record, at $ 23 million with his agreement in 2010.
Realmuto is the first recipient to sign a more than $ 100 million free agency contract.
Realmuto, 29, remains one of the best catchers in all categories in history, reaching 0.266 with 11 homers and 32 RBI with the Phillies during the pandemic-reduced 2020 season. It did not accept a one-year qualifying offer of $ 18.9 million, but sought a long-term deal in the free agent market.
Since 2018, Realmuto leads all MLB catchers in WAR (10.1), RBI (189) and stolen bases (16) and is second in slugging percentage (.489) and OPS (.825). His 57 homers during this period rank third among MLB catchers.
Defensively, he has 11 saves saved in the last two seasons, ranking fourth among catchers who have played more than 1,000 innings.
Realmuto reached .275 with 25 homers and 83 runs while winning his second consecutive All-Star selection in 2019, leading the National League with 43 runners sent off in his first season in Philadelphia. It was acquired in February 2019 in a deal that sent catcher Jorge Alfaro, two potential pitchers and money from internationally signed bonds to the Miami Marlins rebuild.
Realmuto lost his refereeing case with the Phillies before last season and received a $ 6.05 million increase to $ 10 million; had asked for $ 12.4 million. He said he had no resentment to lose.
“I love this organization,” he said. “They’ve been great for me and my family since I showed up. From top to bottom, they’re good people and they care about baseball. That’s important to me.”
Realmuto, a .278 career hitter, was an All-Star for the first time in his fourth season in 2018, when he reached .277 and set career highs with 21 homers, 74 RBI and an OPS of .825.
MLB journalist Craig Mish first reported on the news of the Realmuto deal.
ESPN statistics and information contributed to this report.