Going into the offseason, there were a lot of questions surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies. What was Dave Dombrowski going to do with some of his key free agents, including catcher J.T. Realmuto?
When Dembrowski brought back Kyle Schwarber, it left open the door for Realmuto to leave. However, when Bo Bichette picked the New York Mets over the Phillies, it forced Dembrowski to pivot back to his catcher. He agreed to a three-year $45 million contract, which was loaded with incentives.
Earlier in the offseason, Dembrowski signed former Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García after he was non-tendered by the Rangers. Philadelphia signed him to a one-year, $10 million contract. Both players have questions surrounding them, and Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed them as potential busts in 2026.
Two Philadelphia Phillies Free Agent Signings List As Potential Bust Candidates
Realmuto was linked to other teams this offseason, but in the end, you knew he was going to re-sign in Philadelphia. A three-time All-Star, Realmuto has spent the last seven years with the Phillies. However, the slow decline in his production is real. He slashed .275/.315/.384 in 2025 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs. His biggest decline came behind the plate, where he was a minus-2 in defensive runs saved. That is a far cry from his plus-11 when he won a Gold Glove in 2022.
As far as his incentives go for 2026, some are a stretch for him toreach, including $1 million for a Silver Slugger Award. There was a reason why Realmuto remained on the free agent market as long as he did before Dembrowski came calling for him again.
“Realmuto improbably continues to be a workhorse behind the plate, catching over 1,100 innings in his age-34 season. However, it’s fair to wonder how much longer he can keep up a workload like that,” wrote Kelly.
As for García, he is a few years removed from his 2021-23 stretch, where he hit 97 home runs and drove in 298 with an OPS of .777. A big part of the Rangers’2023 World Series championship, his offensive drop off the last couple of seasons is notable and one reason why Texas moved on from him.
“García has posted just a .675 OPS, with most of his value coming in the fact that he’s remained a tremendous defender in right field. If this is just what he is at the plate now, Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies will have egg on their faces for making him their only notable external lineup addition in the offseason,” Kelly wrote.
Philadelphia Phillies Offseason Moves Raise a Lot of Questions
Along with those signings, Philadelphia also lost left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez. He signed with the Boston Red Sox, and he, too, was listed as a potential bust candidate for 2026. They also cut ties with outfielder Nick Castellanos.
Bringing back Schwarber was a no-brainer, and missing out on Bichette was a big blow. It’s compounded even more when he signed with the Mets. Early in spring training, there is already some Bryce Harper drama directed at Dombrowski.
All of this is going to add up to an interesting summer in Philadelphia. The Phillies are still the favorites in the National League East, but the gap has closed with the Mets. If Realmuto and García end up being busts, then it could make for a long summer for Philadelphia.
2 Philadelphia Phillies Free Agent Signings Tabbed As Big Bust Potential in 2026