3:30pm: President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski says the club expects Realmuto to miss “about a month,” as relayed by Matt Gelb of The Athletic on X.
1:15pm: The Phillies announced that catcher J.T. Realmuto has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 10, with right knee pain. He will undergo right knee meniscectomy surgery tomorrow in Philadelphia. No timeline for his return was provided. Catcher Rafael Marchán was recalled in a corresponding move.
As relayed by Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer on X, Realmuto missed a few games in May due to knee soreness and has been “tolerating” the injury since. The Phils were planning to give Realmuto more rest for the issue but it seems it was decided that surgery was the necessary path forward.
More information will perhaps be provided about when the club expects Realmuto to return but he’ll surely be out multiple weeks. Just over a year ago, Realmuto’s teammate Cristian Pache underwent a lateral meniscectomy on his right knee with the Phils announcing an expected absence of four to six weeks.
Pache was indeed able to return in that time frame, though it can’t necessarily be assumed that Realmuto is slated for a similar absence. For one thing, each injury is different and individuals heal at different rates. Realmuto is 33 years old now while Pache was 24 years old last year. It’s also possible that the club may be cautious with Realmuto given that he’s a catcher and bending at the knees is such a regular part of the gig.
For however long he’s out, it’s a rough blow for the Phils, as Realmuto has been one of the best catchers in the league for quite some time. They are also without Trea Turner, Brandon Marsh and Kody Clemens, so they now have four position players on the injured list.
Realmuto has hit .261/.309/.411 this year with seven home runs, leading to a wRC+ of 105. He’s also generally graded as one of the best catchers at stifling the running game. Since being acquired by the Phillies from the Marlins prior to the 2019 season, he has slashed .266/.330/.463 for a 112 wRC+ and produced 22.1 wins above replacement in the eyes of FanGraphs.
His absence will leave the Phils with just two healthy catchers on their 40-man roster in Marchán and Garrett Stubbs, which is less than ideal. Stubbs has a career batting line of .213/.289/.316 along with fairly uninspiring grades for his glovework. Marchán has hit .242/.331/.342 in the minors since the start of 2021 and has just 65 major league plate appearances, though he does have a strong defensive reputation.
With Realmuto likely back in a few weeks, the club won’t be looking to replace Realmuto with a blockbuster deal, but they may keep their eyes open for smaller transactions. The Mets just designated Tomás Nido for assignment and also released Omar Narváez last week. If Realmuto experiences some setback between now and the deadline, perhaps the Phils will look to trade for someone like Danny Jansen, Elias Díaz or Carson Kelly, though it’s not clear those players would be available and the Phils will surely be hoping they don’t even have to think about such a plan.
For now, there may be no need to panic. The Phils have the best winning percentage in baseball and have a nine-game lead over Atlanta in the National League East. Even if Realmuto’s absence hurts them a little going forward, they have a nice cushion and will likely be getting him back somewhere in the vicinity of the trade deadline.
Holly crapola Batman!
Trea now Realmoto, ouch
Watch them pick up Tomas Nido
I was about to make that exact same comment, Ruben.
Sonny – They need to sign Alfaro, he’s got the perfect look for Philly …. and today is his birthday!!!
LFGSD!
Birthdays are bad in baseball. The more you get, the worse you play.
He will then hit .330 and throw out 75% of base stealers!
Ugh. 🙁
Now that is a tough break. Catchers are the unsung heroes of baseball. It’s not just behind the plate either.
Good thing catchers don’t need their knees too much
JT has had a rough week…I was beginning to think he was “IronMan”! Kruk was starting to call him Darren Dalton….
When he returns, does this move him to 1b and Harper back to the OF, even LF?
DH
@libertybell444
Pitcher.
A catcher with any knee surgery can’t be short term so I’d say DH is in his 2024 future.
Uhhhhhhh
Done for 2024. Sad,
Not necessarily, but possibly.
Doubtful.
Probably not. Meniscus surgery can yield a return of 8-12 weeks, depending on the person. Mine took about 10-12.
It is not unreasonable to think he may be ready in September to gear back up for the playoffs. Granted, he may have to wait until 2025 until he starts catching again because of the stress it creates on his knees; but they should have his bat in the lineup at least.
This is, of course, assuming it is your run-of-the-mill meniscus surgery. But they probably won’t know for sure until they scope inside his knee.
Depends where the tear is, if they are just removing the damaged piece, he’s walking out, running in 3 weeks.
If they can save it and stitch it, that’s the 8-12 weeks you mention.
You didn’t have to squat for 1 hour a day.
Well… Bryce Harper was drafted as a catcher…
Teehee
actually, I dont care. I gave up on the season already. Just anticipating with eager and joy when the Braves blow it up and trade Acuna and Albies.
Troll, Atlanta loves their low salary extensions, win or lose, and the wife-beater is keeping them solidly in the post-season race
Pretty sure no charges were filed on Ozuna and the claim he was choking his girlfriend was wildly over blown.
I’m glad to see Ozuna turn it around for the Braves, he went through a rough stretch while dealing with personal issues.
wildly overblown? so the fact that the cops showed up and saw him choking her, throw her against a wall and bash her in the head w his arm that had a cast is not enough for you? just a little slap and tickle? or maybe the cops are racist right?
Drasco
You seem like a nice guy, so we will have to agree to disagree on Marcell Ozuna. Do an internet search if you’d like.
Uh, bro. You should look into this.
The video didn’t show anything you described. Apparently you never watched the video or bothered to read that the strangulation charge was dropped.
Also, since you brought it up, if you do not believe there is systematic racism in law enforcement you are lying to yourself.
Felony charges were reduced to misdemeanor charges and he pled/went to supervised diversion. The TMZ video is linked to SI and the New York Post and the police body cam shows Marcell’s hand on his wife’s throat- rare that you have abuse on video even for a second.
Strangulation is a felony charge, never a misdemeanor and it was dropped completely which is why the charges changed to simple assault and were then again dropped.
The TMZ video showed Ozuna walking with his hand up around her throat but also showed that Ozuna didn’t appear to be angry or out of control, another person in the video also visibly calm and his wife…. Visibly calm again.
When I said it was wildly over blown, what I meant was it was reported Ozuna was seen choking his wife against the wall, threatening to kill her and hitting her, just like what Wren said. The video didn’t show any of that.
We are pretty much on the same page, I just think the beginning of the video looked really bad, lucky the Leo arrived when he did
MannybeingMVP
Here is an article about Realmuto, yet you choose to bring the Braves into this article and talk about an alleged “wife-beater”. Remind me again, did the person you’re alleging to have done the ” wife-beating” go to jail for these alleged assertions of yours and that of the other accusers here on this page. Nil, Nada, Zilch.
McGriff: The poster “Trade Acuna” brought up Atlanta, not me. I responded that even in second place, Atlanta would never trade Acuna or Albies, they are great players with team friendly salaries. Atlanta is a well run team and AA is a top three (or higher) GM in the game. I will agree to disagree with you as to Marcell.
Stupidity isn’t the only thing this guy has in common with profile. Still, when it comes to Acuna, it’s a really bad situation. Having badly injured both knees has to make even optimistic fans concerned about what he can do in the future.
Congrats, someone finally understand the circumstance Acuna is in. He is already lazy and lackadaisical. His injuries will only ruin him more. He is done.
Mickey Mantle and Joe Namath did all right with bad knees.
Your trade predictions on Acuna and Albies are as laughable as your player evaluations. Acuna came in second w/25% of the vote in the Player’s Poll on MLB’s best player. Acuna’s peers are realistic about his worth. Too bad you can’t be. You’ve probably extended your Acuna hatred to Albies because he’s Acuna’s best friend. Worst thing about your delusional ramblings is that some might actually believe you’re a typical Braves fan. Better put your “eager and joy” on hold for the next 5 to 8 years. Additions to the Braves solid core of Acuna, Albies, Riley, Olson, Murphy, and Harris II will happen, but there won’t be a “blow up.”
They are not predictions, just the proper way to go. Albies and Acuna are useless come playoff time every season…kind of like the rest of the core who only won a ring because of Rosario and Soler
“Rest of the core”? Olson, Murphy, and Harris II weren’t even part of that 2021 WS winner. Your constant rants that “Acuna sucks” and “Albies is useless come playoff time” are good examples of your failure to accurately evaluate players. Can only win as many games as possible during the regular season then hope for good health and luck in the crapshoot playoff system. Quit acting like you have some sort of secret formula for playoff success. You don’t. Your “proper way to go” is an opinion based on your inability to properly value players.
and if Olson, Murphy, and Harris were on the team, instead of Freeman, Soler, and Rosario they would have lost.
At some point, you have to stop making excuses for this organization. They lost two straight years to the Phillies in 4 games. It is not a crapshoot. Just a bad playoff team and core.
“At some point, you have to stop” pretending that your revisionist opinions are facts. No one—especially you—could know what would have happened if Murphy, Olson, and Harris II were members of the 2021 team. Also about time that you stop masquerading as a Braves fan. Who knows. Maybe you really are this obtuse. You definitely seem to be unable to differentiate facts from excuses.
Cope some more. You will need the energy when the team misses the playoffs and will be perennial third place team for years to come
Fantasize some more. You’ve never been right about anything else you’ve ever posted here. You won’t be about this either.
How would “cop(ing) some more” provide energy? That makes even less sense than your mumblings about the Braves past, present, or future. You ought to be right about something once in awhile. Start by trying to convey rational thoughts.
Why you so angry? Save it for when the Braves miss the playoffs so you can keep making excuses as to what happened.
Torn meniscus surgeries can take up to months for recovery. I wonder if they are hoping to have him back by September so he can make the playoffs? Or would he be considered a dh option and come back earlier?
They won’t know the type of meniscus surgery until they’re in there. Some can return with six weeks; others can take three months. Probably a decent chance he’ll be available by August and certainly the postseason.
Joan Benoit won the Olympic Trials marathon after meniscus surgery, then crushed the field at the Olympics. So there’s that.
Trials were 17 days after surgery, Olympics 3 months later. But that’s Joanie, she’s kind of unusually amazing.
Nice Joan B pull. And all that not so odd of a comparable. Being time of a MLB game running about the same as Joan’s gold medal time in 1984.
It’s not necessarily torn.
Damn. Heal up fella
Old school ball player – let’s hope he’s not out too long.
Hadn’t heard about an injury. Is this out of nowhere?
Not good, but we’ve already lost Turner and Marsh who have outperformed JT offensively so far. Obviously the replacements behind JT aren’t great when he was already a slightly above-average offensive catcher so far, but with Stubbs around for the vibes and Marchan hopefully able to turn a corner I think we’ll manage as we have before.
Schwarber can catch
LOL. Once a catcher, always a catcher? 26 MLB games, none since 2019. I want to see this!
Martin Maldonado is a backup catcher on a team that is 17-50. The guy has been to the playoffs each of the past 7 years with the Astros. Even at 37 he is a good fit to step in, and be a veteran presence behind the plate that the staff would trust.
lol
Perfect fit. Maldonado can call a game, provide great defense and when Realmuto comes back it’s like acquiring a bat at the trade deadline. Not to mention the cost for Maldonado is probably a A ball player.
Just wait for the WS to release him. Why give up a player?
Hopefully, he’s not out too long. He’s one of the best catchers in MLB. I tore my meniscus years ago and was off crutches within a few days. Six weeks later, I was cleared by the Ortho to resume sports. It was still sore for a month after being cleared whenever the knee would bend. Hopefully, he gets back by August/September. Could Schwarber move to a defensive position to give JT at-bats to prepare for October? I’m a Braves fan not keen on the Phillies, but I don’t wish injury on any team (no matter how much I dislike them, lol).
Expect longer. It’s ridiculous to expect a catcher to recover in only a month after knee surgery.
NL has the DH now so while a month won’t see him behind the plate (I wouldn’t think) there is no reason to think he can’t swing a bat and move around the bases even if it’s 8-10 weeks.
If Castellanos doesn’t improve maybe Bruce to RF and JT to 1b some.
I’m not a Phillies fan – just some observations.
Hello Mr. Nido
They have better internal options. Team is deep. They’ll be fine although this may end their bid at history (116).
Question for Phillies fans. Was he showing any issues in recent days? Often the injury is immediately known; other times players will fight through some knee soreness impacting their play before having an MRI.
As I noted elsewhere, the recovery time depends on the type of repair. I had a meniscus tear and surgery and was fine in a month, but I’m also not a MLB catcher. Far from it!
Athletes with partial and even a total meniscectomy can be back in a month to six weeks. A full repair, however, can take three months. Either way, he should be back this season, and certainly long before October baseball, but there’s a decent change he’ll return by late July to early August, but we won’t know until the doctors perform the surgery. Even then, they likely won’t give us a timeline. since that’s not to their advantage. They’ll leave wiggle room. That’s exactly what the Angels did with Mike Trout, even though the indications are he should be available to play later this month since it was reported as a partial repair.*
*Please note that my medical degree is from the internet school of doctorology.
They pinch ran for him the other day. That was the only sign.
Christian Vasquez would be a great addition
Here’s a chance for Pittsburgh to trade another #1 draft pick to Philly.
(Henry Davis – Kenny Pickett).
This time get some players in return.
They still have Schwarber and Harper who can catch so no problem.
Welp, hopefully there is a decent catcher on the waiver wire in my fantasy league.
Get well soon, JTR (no seriously, please get better, I need you).
I have a deal for you. The Rays may be willing to give up Alex Jackson for a couple good prospects. Problem solved.
s/
As a former catcher with bad knees, feel for the dude. Lucky for him, he has 2024 medical science and the best doctors on his side so he’ll be good as new.
Well this explains the lack of hitting.
Even with his pedestrian numbers, Realmuto is still putting up decent numbers with a messed up knee. Heck, I’d take his bad numbers over what Cubs catchers are producing right now…
here comes the fall. nothing can go good for philly sports teams when it comes to injuries. all 4 teams every dam year
If I was the NYM I don’t want to help the PHI, a division rival.
I’d rather trade him to the TB or another team. Maybe they could trade him with someone else to get a decent prospect (Top 100) or relief pitcher.
I would have tried hard to keep him as a 3rd C at least for awhile. I think they are bringing Alvarez back too soon. It would be good if Alvarez could DH maybe 2 games a week for the 1st month back. I hope I’m wrong.
I think you misread the article. Nido being DFAed has nothing to do with Realmuto.
Hey Philly the cubs will give you Gomes real cheap
Realmuto likely wont be back until at least mid-August
And that will be fine.
MLB is a playoff league. If anything JT will be rested and playing at his peak when they start.
Samuel: “MLB is a playoff league.” What is that even supposed to mean? Are there other kinds of leagues out there? We understand, from all his rantings, that MLB is not a “Rotisserie league.” But what this is supposed to entail is beyond me.
Calling it a playoff league implies that it is better to rest your players (like the Lakers in the NBA), than to use more energy and win your division. First, MLB has 12 teams in post-season compared to 20 for NBA. Second, the wild cards that ousted division winners in the last three years were very regular season good teams. I believe it is still worth the push to win your division. But the counter argument is not frivolous.
Sadly, this is the equivalent of the Sox catching a break ahead of the Phillies series
When I had my knee cleaned up it took about 6 weeks to get back to 100%
Always gotta be careful that menisectomy isn’t spelled with a P.
That was Carlton Fisk’s injury one year.
“His absence will leave the Phils with just two healthy catchers on their 40-man roster in Marchán and Garrett Stubbs, which is less than ideal. Stubbs has a career batting line of .213/.289/.316 along with fairly uninspiring grades for his glovework.”
–
Pure nonsense.
MLB is not Rotisserie League.
Stubbs is an excellent Catcher. The Phillies pitchers trust him as does management. Offense is not a problem with the Phillies.
Stubbs weak point is that he won’t be able to take on the innings of a starting Catcher. So they’ll have to bring in someone to share the duties for a few months. Big deal. Odds are that they’ll go through a couple of new Catchers until Realmuto comes back.
And Stubbs is a better for a last name than it is as a nickname. Just saying.
Make the Tigers an offer on Carson Kelly. The Tigers could call up Dillon Dingler who is finally hitting!
I would make a trade today. Literally today.
Carson Kelly? Really?
This may sound a little outta left but hear me out. Shae Langeliers for Aidan Miller. Straight swap!! Langeliers is a very good catcher and has pop(avg. needs work). He would flourish in phillie. A’s have Yohel Pozo raking in triple A and Miller will be big league ready to rock when the A’s open up in Vegas
One month is a great prognosis for JTM!
Gonna have to amputate.
A catcher coming off knee surgery is going to miss a lot more than a month.
Might not say it here, but he is done for season. Very well might be done as a full time starting catcher. The Phillies have rode him hard the last 5+ years. 1000 games the 8 full seasons he’s catched is a lot.
He isn’t done for the season. He could have continued playing with the surgery. They chose to get it now because if their large lead. The timetable is 1-month.
*without the surgery
That what they say. No idea why this wasn’t done in November. He has a lot of milage on those knees.
Because it wasn’t sure if he needed it at all. The pain got progressively worse. I bet if they didn’t have a big lead he would have just waited until after the season. The Phillies are in a fortunate spot where they only have to go .500 or so to win 90+ games.