 Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski hinted that veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto might see reduced playing time behind the plate in 2025. While details were initially vague, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer recently provided further insight into the team's plans. According to Lauber, manager Rob Thomson suggested that Realmuto's performance could benefit from an additional day off each week during the season. Realmuto, who is approaching his 34th birthday, played just 99 games this past season due to knee surgery in June. Historically, he averaged 135 games per year from 2015 to 2023, excluding the shortened 2020 season. Although he has occasionally served as a designated hitter (DH) or even first baseman, the bulk of his work has been behind the plate. Typically, Realmuto has taken just one day off per week, a demanding schedule for any catcher. The proposed adjustment to Realmuto's schedule would see him playing closer to five games per week, resulting in approximately 115 games per season. This workload is similar to that of Yankees rookie Austin Wells and Cubs youngster Miguel Amaya in 2024. While 115 games might not lead the league in volume, it's a substantial amount for a catcher primarily focused on defense. It's worth noting that many top catchers who amass significant playing time do so by splitting their duties between catching and other positions. For instance, Salvador Perez of the Royals played in 158 games this year but only caught in 90 of them. If Realmuto catches 115 games in 2025, it would place him among the league's leaders in terms of games caught, just 16 games behind league leader Cal Raleigh, who caught 131 games in 2024.
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