The Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a deal to acquire All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto from the Miami Marlins Thursday, shipping catcher Jorge Alfaro, No. 1 overall prospect Sixto Sanchez and pitching prospect Will Stewart, along with international bonus money, to South Beach.
The Phillies are receiving arguably the game’s best catcher in Realmuto, who will turn 28 next month. But did they give up too much?
Alfaro started last season as the Phillies starting catcher, but his incredibly high strikeout rate – 36.6 percent – and trouble with passed balls (he had 10 of them) led to the contending Phillies acquiring All-Star Wilson Ramos before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.