The Philadelphia Phillies may be entering their final season with their present roster. Ranger Suárez, catcher J.T. Realmuto, and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber have all been with the organization for several years and will be free agents next winter.

Realmuto continues to add value to the Phillies, especially defensively. Despite his knee injury last year, he is one of the most consistent catchers in terms of innings caught. What is his future with the club beyond this year?

On the Hittin’ Season podcast, John Stolnis spoke with Jayson Stark of The Athletic about the potential of the Phillies signing extensions with Reamuto and Schwarber. Stark believes they will more likely offer one to the designated hitter/left fielder rather than the catcher.

“I don’t think there’s an extension coming for J.T.,” Stark said of Realmuto. “He’s a catcher in his mid-30s, and I believe they’ll treat him similarly to the last time. If you remember, they let things play out until he reached free agency, at which point they signed him. If he returns next year, I believe that is how it will operate.”

Stark’s perspective on the situation is reasonable. The Phillies chose to wait until the offseason following the 2020 season to sign J.T. Realmuto, ultimately agreeing to a five-year, $115.5 million contract in January 2021. There is a strong likelihood that Philadelphia may take a similar approach and wait until next winter to sign him again.

The Phillies currently lack a dependable replacement for Realmuto who could step into the starting catcher role next season. Backup Garrett Stubbs doesn’t provide enough offensive production to be a viable starter, and Rafael Marchán has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career.

Despite his injury history, Marchán does present more long-term potential, being six years younger than Stubbs. The San Cristobal, Venezuela native posted an impressive .894 OPS in 17 games with the Phillies last year while filling in for an injured Realmuto.

Philadelphia’s No. 4 prospect, Eduardo Tait, appears to be the franchise’s future at catcher. According to MLB Pipeline, he is projected to make his major league debut in 2028. The Phillies might consider offering Realmuto an extension next offseason, potentially covering two to three seasons, to bridge the gap until Tait is ready to take over.

For now, Realmuto remains committed to winning a World Series. However, if the Phillies fall short again this year, it’s possible that he may reassess his future and explore opportunities with other contenders if offered a contract. Over the coming seasons, the Phillies are likely to restructure the roster, given several players have expiring contracts and numerous prospects are nearing major league readiness.

Is it risky for the Phillies to delay offering Realmuto an extension until next winter? Yes and no. On one hand, they don’t have an immediate answer for the starting catcher position if Realmuto doesn’t return. On the other hand, if he were to miss significant time due to injury for a second straight season, it might be reasonable to question whether signing him to another deal would be in the team’s best interest.