How J.T. Realmuto is trying to prove he’s the best catcher in MLB

NEW YORK—Phillies manager Gabe Kapler describes any attempts to tell catcher J.T. Realmuto that he won’t be in the lineup as a “fistfight.”

Realmuto loathes off days. He wants to be back behind the plate every day. Once or twice this year, he’s even won an argument with Kapler, forcing his way into the lineup.

“I want to play, I enjoy playing,” Realmuto said. “I think it’s important for your teammates to see you back there every day and not taking days off all the time.”

That drive to play every day has Realmuto, 28, set to accomplish a career goal by leading all catchers in games played and innings caught.

On the one hand, Realmuto seems to be trading hitting for fielding performance- on the other hand, given how reliever-crazy modern baseball has become, catchers who can play almost every day do seem to be a major market inefficiency…..

Gary Sánchez’s Offensive Surge Can’t Mask a New Woe Behind the Plate

Article summary: The Yankees catcher is on pace to break the position’s long-standing home run record, but his drop-off in pitch framing is costing New York almost as much as his bat can make up