The bet that the Philadelphia Phillies seemed to make in allowing J.T. Realmuto to reach free agency was that the catcher’s asking price would come back down to earth with a trip to the open market.
Such a strategy doesn’t come without a level of risk, but the Phillies were apparently willing to take the gamble that one team wouldn’t come off the top rope and meet Realmuto’s asking price.
MLB.com‘s Todd Zolecki reports that at one stage, the two-time All-Star’s camp “had been seeking a contract in excess of $200 million.” It’s unclear exactly where Jeff Berry, Realmuto’s agent, stands now, but that initial asking price feels outlandish.