The Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday afternoon announced they are placing star catcher J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day injured list with a right knee injury. Realmuto will be undergoing right knee meniscectomy surgery on Wednesday in Philadelphia, according to the team.
The Phillies placed J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day IL (retro to 6/10) with right knee pain. To fill his spot on the 26-man roster, Rafael Marchán was recalled from Lehigh Valley (AAA).
Realmuto is scheduled to undergo right knee meniscectomy surgery tomorrow in Philadelphia.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 11, 2024
Realmuto has been battling through knee soreness for most of this season. However, that has not prevented him from producing solid numbers. After getting off to a slow start in April, the veteran catcher bounced back in the month of May. On the season, Realmuto is slashing .261/.309/.411 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs.
The 11-year veteran has been a stalwart in the Phillies’ lineup since signing with the team in 2019. His durability at the catcher position has been one of his top attributes. Realmuto played in at least 134 games every season in Philadelphia, with the shortened season in 2020 due to COVID-19 being the lone exception. This knee injury is going to result in his first extended absence in a Phillies uniform. While the team did not put any timetable for his return, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports the typical absence for a meniscectomy surgery ranges from 4-to-8 weeks.
Losing Realmuto for any significant amount of time is going to be a major blow for the Phillies. Realmuto can be considered to be the Phillies’ most indispensable player. He is one of the best players at the catcher position due to his all-around production, durability and leadership in the clubhouse.
The Phillies have dealt with other injuries well, relying on depth players such as Edmundo Sosa, Kody Clemens and most recently David Dahl to step into the lineup and produce. However, Philadelphia lacks the requisite depth at catcher to even come close to making up for Realmuto’s production. Garrett Stubbs is well liked in the clubhouse, but he is slashing just .173/.271/.192 in 52 at-bats this season. The Phillies also called up Rafael Marchan from Triple-A.
Trading for another catcher should not be out of the question considering Realmuto’s extended absence and the Phillies’ lack of depth at the position. Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz is one potential option. The 33-year old is slashing .303/.352/.439 with 12 doubles, five home runs and 28 RBIs this season.
For the time being, the Phillies are going to rely on the combination of Stubbs and Marchan to handle the catcher position. Philadelphia is currently 45-20, and they have a nine-game division lead over the Atlanta Braves.
