Besides J.T. Realmuto, which player will log the most innings behind the plate?
Over the past week, Ethan Witte did an excellent job of laying out the Phillies’ catching situation. We all know that J.T. Realmuto will get the bulk of the work, and despite the Phillies’ seeming desire to lighten his load, he’ll probably end up with more innings behind the plate than ideal.
What is less obvious is which catcher will get the bulk of the playing time when Realmuto gets the rare day off or is injured. The Phillies have two primary candidates for that role: Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs.
If most Phillies fans had their druthers, it would be Marchan. The (relative) youngster has looked solid in limited action over the past few years.
Rafael Marchán, baby!
Franzke on the call pic.twitter.com/HUWQvoakFl
— Nick Piccone (@_piccone) July 4, 2024
Last season, he had an OPS of .894 in 17 games, which was surprising since he’s never had outstanding numbers in the minors. His calling card has been his strong defense, and thus far, that has translated to the major league level.
On the other hand, aside from 2022, when he had an OPS of .812, Stubbs has been a non-presence at the plate. He has a career OPS of .605, and his batting average has barely cleared .200 the past two years. It’s fun watching him bounce around the clubhouse during clinching celebrations, but it would also be fun to see him reach base more than once every few games.
A dance off between Gregory Soto and Garrett Stubbs pic.twitter.com/GVR24OAT9U
— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) September 27, 2023
That said, I feel the concerns over Stubbs are a little overblown. He grades out well defensively, and generally, that’s all you can ask for from a backup catcher. There’s such a scarcity of talent at the position, that if a guy shows competence at both hitting and defense, he’d surely be a starter somewhere.
This would be an easy question if not for the fact that Marchan has had problems staying healthy. A hamstring strain and broken hamate bone are just two of the injuries that have kept him out of action for extended periods over the past two years. So, while the Phillies would assuredly prefer Marchan serve as the backup, it’s to be determined if his body can hold up to the rigors of being a catcher.
Therefore, our question of the day is: Which catcher will log the most innings behind J.T. Realmuto?