Catcher J.T. Realmuto Is Out On The Market Right Now If Rangers Want Him

The Texas Rangers are in need of a solid catcher and there's one right now on the free agent market if they want him.

J.T. Realmuto, who played last season for the Philadelphia Phillies, is probably looking for a three-year, $45 million deal from any team out there.

In an article on MLB's top 50 free agents, The Athletic indicated that three teams might be solid landing spots for Realmuto - the Phillies, the Rangers, and the Washington Nationals. Yes, it's possible that the Phillies make an offer that Realmuto cannot refuse.

But there is time. The Rangers are looking to upgrade all over the place and a guy like Realmuto, who has experience behind the plate, would be a solid pickup.

Would the Rangers spend that type of money for Realmuto? That's another question to be considered at this time.

"The sport’s best catcher when he signed his last deal, Realmuto has been worth about 2 fWAR in each of the last three seasons," The Athletic reported. "In his mid-30s, he’s still one of the game’s most durable backstops.

"Since 2019, eight times a player has caught 130 or more games, and Realmuto owns half of them, including 132 games behind the dish in 2025," the article indicates. "His offense has understandably fallen off, dipping below league average last year for the first time."

Entering the 2026 MLB season, the Rangers have their man in the dugout as Skip Schumaker moves from the boxes to run the team. He spent last season as a senior adviser to Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young.

Both Schumaker and Young are on the same page as to what type of team they want to field.

Additionally, Schumaker comes in with previous MLB management experience with two seasons leading the Miami Marlins. Schumaker helped turn around a losing Marlins franchise into a winner when he was there.

Unfortunately, his time with Miami ended after two seasons.

He's getting another chance here with Texas. Young and Rangers management hope that Schumaker's style of managing as well as his communication skills prove effective.

After winning the World Series in 2022, the Rangers haven't been as competitive as they'd wanted to be. Last season didn't pan out too well and, eventually, led to the separation between the ballclub and veteran MLB manager Bruce Bochy.

Realmuto immediately upgrades the Rangers at catcher. Like The Athletic article pointed out, Realmuto is a highly-respected player at his position. He's also going to catch a lot of games, not missing much time.

A durable, solid catcher that can work with his starting rotation of pitchers on a regular basis? That's a winning combination for any ballclub.

But the Rangers probably are aware that the Phillies are going to do their best to retain Realmuto's services. Still, it's a nice thought for Rangers fans to hold on to as Texas' leadership heads to the Winter Meetings in a number of days.