Phillies the only suitor really left for J.T. Realmuto

J.T. Realmuto is still looking to get paid in free agency. The Philadelphia Phillies may be the only real suitor left.

It was expected that J.T. Realmuto would be the subject of a bidding war this offseason. As he is not only considered to be the top catcher in free agency, but also in baseball, Realmuto was expected to have plenty of suitors. Indeed, the former Philadelphia Phillies catcher was linked to quite a few teams when free agency began.

But those teams began finding other options. The Mets, who were considered to be one of the top candidates to land Realmuto, signed James McCann. The Angels opted to ink Kurt Suzuki, while the Padres traded for Yu Darvish‘s personal catcher in their blockbuster deal with the Cubs. Even the Blue Jays have looked in a different direction, with George Springer as their primary target.

There are teams with a need behind the plate. However, those options, such as the Marlins or even the Rays, are not about to make the type of offer that would land Realmuto. There are not many options left as he looks for a home for the upcoming year.

In the end, Realmuto may have just one viable option left – a return to the Phillies. There is a distinct need behind the plate, as Andrew Knapp would currently sit atop their depth chart. Bryce Harper has been vocal about his desire for Realmuto to return. The front office has also stated their interest in bringing him back.

Signing Realmuto would be about far more than keeping Harper or the Phillies’ fanbase happy. It would be a step to being able to contend in 2021, especially in the wake of the improvements made by other teams in the division.

Philadelphia has made some moves to keep up. They have begun overhauling their bullpen as they look to fix something that was a complete disaster in 2020. But those improvements may not matter if they do not have the firepower in the lineup to contend in the division. Bringing Realmuto back would help.

In the end, that may be the only option. A reunion between the Philadelphia Phillies and J.T. Realmuto seems inevitable.