Phillies Acquire All-Star Catcher JT Realmuto from Marlins for Sanchez, Alfaro, Stewart, International Slot
The Philadelphia Phillies have finally swung the big deal we have been waiting for, and it’s a doozy. The club has acquired All-Star Catcher JT Realmuto from the Miami Marlins. In return, the Marlins acquire the Phillies’ #1 prospect in RHP Sixto Sanchez, as well as catcher Jorge Alfaro, LHP Will Stewart, and an international bonus slot.
WOW. We did not think the Phils would rid themselves of the flame throwing righty Sanchez, who at just 20 years old, has drawn comparisons to Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez. It appeared that Sixto would be untouchable this offseason, but the Phillies appear to be all in on winning in 2019.
Realmuto had been rumored to be on the trade block for the better part of the last two years. Momentum certainly picked up these last couple months, as Realmuto was seemingly the last remaining established MLB talent left for the Marlins that would net them a big haul in exchange for his services ala Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich.
The Phillies were thrown around with what seemed like 8-10 teams as a possible destination for Realmuto, but never really seemed to be a realistic destination until the last day or so. It seemed unlikely that the Marlins would trade Realmuto somewhere else in the NL East, even with confirmed interest from all 4 of the other teams in the division. It all changed, though, when the Phillies, for some reason, changed their mind when it came to including Sixto Sanchez.
What could that reason be? Well, this could be a ploy for the Phils to gain more momentum on signing Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. Harper has reportedly mentioned in the past that he ‘loves’ Realmuto, saying in a game in which the Marlins beat the Washington Nationals thanks to a game-winning hit from Realmuto and a great play throwing a guy out, “if we had that guy, we would have won.” (via Sports Talk Philly)
Either way, whether this is a move to bring in another piece or not, acquiring a player like JT Realmuto is something to be excited about. Last season, Realmuto made his first career All-Star appearance, as he finished the year with a .277 BA, 21 HR, 74 RBI, and an .825 OPS in 125 games. Behind the plate, he had a .992 fielding percentage and a 38% caught stealing percentage. He is just 27 years old and is under team control for the next 2 seasons.
The young backstop that the Phillies will be giving up, Jorge Alfaro, didn’t do much with the bat or the glove in 2018, but he is known for his rocket of an arm. Compare him to Realmuto, though, and you won’t lose much in that department. Alfaro has the stronger arm overall, but in terms of pop time, Alfaro’s 1.94 seconds (mitt to second base) was 3rd in baseball, compared to Realmuto’s 1.90 seconds, which was 1st. (via The Good Phight)
Alfaro was of course a part of the Cole Hamels trade in 2015, and he will now have a chance to pan out into a featured piece of the future plans in Miami. If his bat comes around, watch out. It is a shame to see a guy like that go, but if the Phils are truly in win now mode, this had to be done.
The third player in this deal is a little-known lefty named Will Stewart, whom which the Phillies took in the 20th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Hazel Green High School in Alabama. The 21-year-old enjoyed a fantastic year with the Lakewood Blueclaws this past season, throwing to an 8-1 record with a 2.06 ERA, and 90 K in 113.2 IP and 20 starts. He will be the third player piece in this deal in place of other Phillies prospects that were tossed around as possibly being included here, including Alec Bohm, Adam Haseley, and Mickey Moniak.
This could be the Phillies’ alternative to not going after both Harper and Machado at the same time. Think about it. If they realistically do have the money to bring both those guys in, maybe they go for one or the other and instead take the money they would throw at the other player they don’t sign and extend Realmuto with said money. He is only a year older than those two, and he is at a position which is at a premium compared to the plethora of outfielders and left-side-of-the-infielders they could go after within the next year or two. Also, Realmuto probably won’t command the $300-$400 million the other guys are looking for, and he could still produce almost as good, if not as good, numbers. His 21 home runs and 74 RBI in a ballpark like the one he called home in Miami and in a lineup that is full of no-names could shoot up substantially in a well-rounded Phillies lineup.
With the additions of Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura, David Robertson, and other pieces such as Juan Nicasio, James Pazos, and Jose Alvarez, there is no doubt that the Phillies have improved this offseason. Are there more moves up their sleeve? We shall see.
Realmuto is arguably the best catcher in the game, and while people might say that this statement is more a sign of a weaker position, there’s no doubt that it is never a bad thing to acquire a player this caliber. Is the price too steep? Is Sixto going to live up to his potential? Is Jorge Alfaro’s bat going to catch up to his arm? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, though. This speeds up the win-now process for the Phils, which is refreshing after 7 years of below average-to-mediocre baseball at best. Now, go out and get one of the big guns.
Featured Image: Billy Feola via 12UP.com
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Categorized:Phillies