Phillies All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto out one month with knee surgery

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto of Del City, Oklahoma will be out one month with a knee injury. He is scheduled to have right knee meniscectomy surgery on Wednesday according to Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors. Realmuto has been dealing with pain for a month, and it was determined by the Phillies this week that surgery was the best option.

Missed three straight games in May

Realmuto missed seven Phillies games in the month of May, including three straight games from May 12 to 14, and it appears that knee soreness was the primary reason according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. There is no doubt that catching can be extremely difficult on the knees, so it is not too surprising that Realmuto is experiencing discomfort in that area. Over the last 11 seasons, Realmuto has played 1098 games behind home plate. When he does return, do not be surprised if Realmuto has some action at first base or designated hitter, just so the Phillies can keep his bat in the lineup. He is simply one of the better hitting catchers in all of Major League Baseball.

2024 MLB Statistics

During 51 games, 207 at bats, and 223 plate appearances, Realmuto has batted .261 with seven home runs and 20 runs batted in. He has scored 28 runs, and had 54 hits, one triple, one stolen base, 12 walks, 85 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .309, and a slugging percentage of .411. Realmuto’s triple, stolen base and sacrifice fly were all in Phillies wins. The sacrifice fly came in a 9-5 Phillies win over the Chicago White Sox on April 20. The stolen base came in an 8-2 Phillies win over the White Sox on April 21, and the triple came in a 14-3 Phillies win over the San Francisco Giants on May 4.

Three-time All-Star

Realmuto was a National League All-Star with the Miami Marlins in 2018, and a National League All-Star with the Phillies in 2019 and 2021. In 2018, he batted .277 with 21 home runs and 74 runs batted in. During 2019, Realmuto batted .275 with 25 home runs and 83 runs batted in. Then in 2021, he batted .263 with 17 home runs and 73 runs batted in.

Best team in Baseball

The Phillies have the best record in all of Major League Baseball. At 46 wins and 20 losses, they have a winning percentage of .697, and have one more percentage point than the New York Yankees.