Phillies Make Right Decision to DFA Catcher Garrett Stubbs

Designating Garrett Stubbs for assignment was the correct move for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Aug 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) in action against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the items on the offseason to-do list for the Philadelphia Phillies is to revamp their depth behind the plate.

J.T. Realmuto is going to be back as the starting catcher, but in an ideal world, he will have his workload scaled back. Coming off the least productive season of his career, it makes sense for the Phillies to explore other options.

Alas, such an option didn’t exist on the roster. Last season, Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchan were the backups to Realmuto, and both struggled mightily to produce with the bat. Their defensive metrics were solid, but both were underwhelming offensively, which led to the veteran starting more than the team would have liked.

In an effort to change that, the Phillies have made a move with their catcher’s depth. Stubbs has been designated for assignment, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the team will now have five days to trade him or place him on waivers.

Phillies were right to DFA Garrett Stubbs

Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is a move that makes sense for the franchise. He has not quite lived up to expectations after being acquired from the Houston Astros in the offseason ahead of the 2022 season.

In 181 games and 499 plate appearances with Philadelphia, Stubbs had a .212/.292/.300 slash line with an OPS+ of 65. Almost all of that positive production came in 2022 when he had a 129 OPS+ buoyed by a .264/.350/.462 slash line with five home runs, four doubles and 16 RBI.

Over the next four years, Stubbs would manage only two home runs, eight doubles and 26 RBI. He hasn’t hit a home run since the 2024 season and in 2026, he produced a -0.5 bWAR, as he fell to third on the catcher’s depth chart behind Realmuto and Marchan.

https://t.co/F074XbuRpg The Phillies will move on from backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, one of the most dynamic personalities from their five consecutive postseason runs. From @PhillyInquirer ⤵️

— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) October 30, 2026

Out of options, Stubbs will likely clear waivers and opt to become a minor league free agent. Marchan is also out of options, but the team decided to keep him instead despite his lack of success against Major League pitching.

He should be the No. 3 catcher on the depth chart moving forward, with an upgrade being brought in this offseason. Free agency offers a few options to help add some punch to the lineup, such as Gary Sanchez. James McCann, Austin Hedges and Carson Kelly would also fit the bill as a 1B player alongside Realmuto.

Should the Phillies try to go the trade route, Danny Jansen and Freddy Fermin are two names to keep an eye on.

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