After all, JT Realmuto returns to Philadelphia. Star Hunter and Phillies have agreed on a five-year deal worth $ 115.5 million, a source told MLB.com on Tuesday. The club has not confirmed the deal.
The contract also reportedly has the highest average annual value (AAV) for a hunter in MLB history of $ 23.1 million, surpassing the $ 23 million AAV extension in Joe Mawr’s 2010 contract with the twins. Realmuto’s deal also established a new record for a free agent contract for a hunter, topping Brian McCann’s $ 85 million deal with the Yankees in 2013.
The agreement includes a salary of $ 20 million this year, but with $ 10 million deferred, it will be paid in installments of $ 5 million in 2026 and 27, and a salary of $ 23.875 million annually from 2022-25. A $ 1 million transfer payment is included in the case of Realmuto trading, according to a source.
As one of the game’s best supports, Realmuto has been a hot commodity in the free agency. In 2019, his first season with the Phillies after a successful deal from Miami, he won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award. In the year 20, he posted the best offensive numbers of his career with 123 OPS + and 11 home runs in 195 board appearances, all while controlling the running game as well as anyone in the Majors.
Realmuto turned down the qualifying offer of $ 18.9 million from Phillies, and opted to test the open market for the first time in his career. After being drafted by Marlins in the third round of the 2010 draft, he spent the first five years of his career in Miami before being sent to Philadelphia in a package that included right-handed Sixto Sánchez.
The 29-year-old catcher is a career-hitter. 278 hitter with 111 OPS +, a two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner. From 2017 to 2019, Realmuto’s 15.0 Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs, ranked first among catchers and 13th among all center players.
Todd Zolecki has covered Phillies since 2003, and MLB.com has been covering it since 2009. Follow him Twitter And the The social networking site Facebook .
