Only One Thing Will Keep This Philadelphia Phillies Player off Opening Day Roster

A lot of the conversation surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies this offseason has been about their catcher position.

Since the front office decided to have a mellow winter compared to their past standards, that allowed analysts and the fan base alike to sit back and take a look at the current roster and how it can live up to its potential.

Enter the J.T. Realmuto dialogue.

A few years ago, there wasn't much of an argument for anyone besides the two-way star being the best catcher in baseball, hence his nickname. However, his play has declined at the plate the past two seasons, with his OPS+ dropping from 130 in 2022 to 105 and 109 in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Those are still serviceable numbers, especially because they're above the league average of 100, but the Phillies need more out of their high-priced backstop, especially if they're going to win the World Series.

How can Philadelphia assist in helping his production get back on track?

They're floating the idea of playing him less during the regular season, saving his legs for later in the calendar and October when the games are more important.

On paper, it's a smart strategy.

The less he's in a crouch during the dog days of summer, the more gas he should have left in the tank when they truly need him.

However, for that plan to work, the Phillies need a formidable backup for the days when Realmuto is out of the lineup.

While Garrett Stubbs has become a fan favorite over the years, his offensive play is not good enough to make anyone inside this organization comfortable with increasing his role.

Because of that, former top prospect Rafael Marchan seems to have a real pathway to winning the backup spot in Spring Training.

In fact, Matt Gelb of The Athletic borderline said it would be Marchan who gets that role.

"The only thing that would prevent him from being on the Opening Day roster is an injury," he wrote about the catcher, while adding, "Even if Stubbs has a strong spring, roster politics will likely put him in the minors to begin 2025. Stubbs has a minor-league option and Marchán doesn't."

That's the reality of professional baseball.

So are injuries.

Marchan has been affected by that virtually his entire career, and it's one of the major reasons why he hasn't been a featured part of Philadelphia's roster the past few years despite being an MLB-ready hitter.

This is the former top prospect's chance to prove he can play in The Show.

And since he's out of options and Stubbs has one remaining, it seems likely it will be Marchan's job to lose during the early portion of the year.

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