Can everyone just take a second and relax? J.T. Realmuto isn’t going anywhere. Here’s why:

First and foremost – he’s the best fucking catcher in the MLB and the Phillies wouldn’t have traded for him just to enter arbitration and lose him a year later.

It’s pretty common for players to lose an arbitration hearing. He wanted $12.5 million and got $10 million. That’s still a ridiculous amount of money to get while losing an arbitration hearing and J.T. understands this. It’s just the business part of the MLB.

“What we went through in arbitration, what we went through in the hearing, doesn’t change anything from my outlook.”

JT Realmuto from Spring Training

The whole arbitration system, however, especially in terms of catchers, is something J.T. isn’t too happy about and honestly, I don’t blame him.

“It’s just the system and how catchers are treated in the system. Obviously, I wanted to advance it a little bit and do something for future catchers, and that didn’t work out for us. In that aspect, I’m disappointed, but not disappointed in my salary.”

JT Realmuto from Spring Training

Regardless, J.T. is going to get paid. A lot. I honestly think it’s going to happen a lot sooner than people think and by the end of April, he’ll be locked into the tune of 5 years $120 million.

No matter what happens, even with Middleton/Klentak running the show. I don’t see this being an issue for much longer. I need J.T. behind the plate looking good, throwing down any clown that thinks they can steal on him, and crushing baseballs at the plate.

It’s all about the core. Bryce, Jetpax, Rhys, AND J.T.. Phillies will make sure that happens.