PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After a long offseason, J.T. Realmuto is back with the Phillies.
Realmuto resigned with the Phillies after becoming a free agent. He spent the last two seasons in Philadelphia, but many wondered if he would return in 2021.
There was reported interest in Realmuto from several teams until he reached an agreement to return to the Phillies.
Realmuto wasn't surprised about the slow process in an offseason in the middle of a pandemic after a year of financial losses for baseball teams.
"I was pretty aware going into it that was going to be the case," said Realmuto. "There wasn't really ever a time where I felt like being back with the Phillies just wasn't going to work out. I knew the process would play itself out how it was supposed to, and I'm really just glad to be back, and glad it worked out the way it did."
It was no secret that fans and teammates wanted Realmuto back — his teammates openly campaigned for his return.
Realmuto has built a strong bond with his teammates over the past two seasons, and their efforts to bring him back to Philadelphia did not go unnoticed by the catcher.
"They've supported me from day one," Realmuto said. "They've become my best friends. They've become family for me. We stayed in contact all offseason long. They were pulling for me, they were rooting for me."
Phillies fans will get another chance to root for him.
The popular catcher has been a fan favorite ever since he came to the club in 2019, and he indicated the support and passion of the fans was a factor in his decision for both himself and his wife.
"That was honestly a big factor in us loving Philly so much," said Realmuto. "The fan base embraced us from day one. The excitement that they showed for me personally as a player, not only just the team, but they kind of backed me from day one."
Now that Realmuto is back for another five years, he and his teammates will look to turn the fortunes of the franchise around.
The Phillies have not been to the playoffs in 2011. They had a chance to make the postseason in 2019 but collapsed down the stretch.
Realmuto believes it can be a different story in 2021.
"The talent is there," he said. "We just have to put it together and work hard in spring training, and we'll see how it goes."
