Harrison Bader reached an agreement with the Giants on a two-year, $20.5 million contract, according to multiple reports on Monday.
The center fielder posted a career year offensively in 2025, slashing .277/.347/.449 over 146 games. The Phillies acquired Bader from the Twins at the trade deadline to bolster their outfield, in exchange for two prospects, outfielder Hendry Mendez and right-handed pitcher Geremy Villoria.
Bader, 31, was immediately a popular member of the Phillies clubhouse in the second half of the season, with several of his teammates adopting his catchphrases and signature crop top. He suffered a groin strain while running the bases during Game 1 of the National League Division Series and was limited to pinch-hitting in Games 2 and 4.
He declined his end of his $10 million mutual option following the season, becoming a free agent.
Following Bader’s departure, the Phillies’ outfield is set to look quite different on opening day. Max Kepler remains unsigned after receiving an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has said the club plans to find a “change of scenery” for right fielder Nick Castellanos.
The Phillies signed Adolis García to a one-year, $10 million contract, and they expect to give top outfield prospect Justin Crawford the opportunity to earn the starting center fielder job in 2026. Crawford was extended a non-roster invite to major league spring training on Friday.
Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller highlight the 27 nonroster players the Phillies have invited to major league spring training in Clearwater, Fla. next month.
Crawford is ranked as the Phillies’ No. 3 prospect by MLBPipeline and is expected to get an opportunity to be their opening-day center fielder. The 22-year-old slashed .334/.411/.452 in 112 games at triple-A Lehigh Valley last season.
Miller, a 21-year-old shortstop, is ranked the Phillies’ No. 2 prospect. He spent most of 2025 with double-A Reading, leading the Eastern League in walks (73) and stolen bases (52), before a September promotion to triple A. He finished the year with a .264/.392/.433 slash line across both levels.
Other top prospects who earned invites include infielder Aroon Escobar (Phillies’ No. 5 prospect) and outfielder Dante Nori, the Phillies’ 2024 first-round pick.
The full list of invitees:
Left-handed pitchers: Génesis Cabrera, Tucker Davidson, Tim Mayza, and Andrew Walling.
Right-handed pitchers: Andrew Bechtold, Jonathan Hernandez, Michael Mercado, Trevor Richards, and Bryse Wilson.
Catchers: Kehden Hettiger, Mark Kolozsvary, Paul McIntosh, René Pinto, and Caleb Ricketts.
Infielders: Keaton Anthony, Christian Cairo, Carson DeMartini, Aroon Escobar, Aidan Miller, Liover Peguero, Bryan Rincon, and José Rodríguez.
Outfielders: Dylan Campbell, Justin Crawford, Bryan De La Cruz, and Dante Nori.
The Phillies re-signed reliever Tim Mayza to a minor-league contract, his agency Covenant Sports Group announced Thursday.
Mayza, 34, posted a 3.78 ERA and 1.320 WHIP in 15 regular-season appearances last season between the Pirates and Phillies. The left-hander landed on the injured list in April with a muscle strain in his left shoulder, and the Pirates placed him on waivers in August.
After the Phillies claimed him as relief depth, Mayza was included on the National League Division Series roster but did not make an appearance. He is originally from Allentown, attended Upper Perkiomen High, and was drafted out of Division II Millersville in 2013.
The Phillies also announced Thursday that the Baltimore Orioles had claimed utility man Weston Wilson off waivers. He had been placed on waivers to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for catcher J.T. Realmuto, who officially re-signed on Tuesday.
Wilson made his major league debut with the Phillies in 2023. In 2024, Wilson hit for the 10th cycle in Phillies history.
Wilson slashed .198/.282/.369 over 52 games last season as a right-handed bench option. He primarily played first base, second base, and left field for the Phillies.
Former Phillies pitcher Ranger Suárez took the podium in a Red Sox jersey for the first time Wednesday when he was officially introduced at Fenway Park.
The 30-year-old Suárez, who signed with the Phillies as a 16-year-old from Venezuela and developed into an All-Star and key rotation piece, departed in free agency this winter. His five-year, $130 million contract with the Red Sox became official Wednesday.
When prompted by a reporter at his introductory news conference, Suárez clarified the traditional Spanish pronunciation of his first name.
“My name is actually [Rahn-HER], but however you guys want to address me, [RAYN-jurr] is how most people do, so I’m comfortable with either,” he said through an interpreter.
Throughout his tenure with the Phillies, Suárez was typically referred to with an Anglicized pronunciation of his first name. His walk-out song, “Mr. Rager” by Kid Cudi, was even a nod to it.
The left-hander also expressed excitement about joining the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. He said he rooted for Boston as a child in Venezuela.
“Since I was a little kid, when we would watch baseball on TV, what would be on was Red Sox-Yankees,” Suárez said. “And everyone was going for the Yankees and I asked, ‘Why is no one going for Boston?’ And that’s where the interest started.”
Just a few hours after J.T. Realmuto’s new contract became official Tuesday morning, he was at the Phillies’ facilities in Clearwater, Fla.
Pitchers and catchers don’t report until Feb. 11, but Realmuto’s family typically heads to Florida in mid-January. Not only does it offer a reprieve from chilly weather of his offseason home in Oklahoma, it also gives him a head start on his preparation for the year.
The routine seems like it will hold for the next few years after Realmuto re-signed with the Phillies for three years and $45 million. The new deal will take Realmuto, who turns 35 in March, through his age-37 season. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Realmuto, the Phillies designated utility man Weston Wilson for assignment.
“I’m glad we’re back here, and this is where we wanted to be the whole time,” Realmuto said. “My focus was just on my legacy here and being able to finish my career with the Phillies and not having to uproot my family and start over.”
But the veteran catcher conceded Tuesday that there were points during his free agency when it felt like an agreement wouldn’t come together. While both parties had been interested in a reunion from the beginning, they disagreed on the dollar amount.
“In my opinion, catchers are just undervalued in this game, as far as contracts and dollars go,” Realmuto said. “I truly believe it’s one of, if not the most important position on the field.”
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto struggled at the plate last season but believes he can get back on track with a few tweaks.
The Phillies were prepared to move on from Realmuto last week as discussions intensified with free-agent shortstop Bo Bichette and had contingency plans in place at catcher. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said they had other targets they could have added to their mix of Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs.
But when the New York Mets swooped in with a shorter-term, higher-dollar offer for Bichette — which Dombrowski described as a “gut punch” — the Phillies then called Realmuto back with an improved offer.
“We’re thrilled that J.T. is back because that was always a priority for us over the wintertime,” Dombrowski said. “We think he was the best catcher out there, as far as free agency was concerned.”
Realmuto posted one of his worst offensive seasons in 2025, hitting .257 with a .700 OPS over 134 games. But he remained elite defensively at catching runners stealing, catching plus-6 runners above average, according to Statcast.
For his pitching staff, most of Realmuto’s value comes from the work he does behind the plate and behind the scenes.
“Every time that I walk in, J.T. is already in the kitchen. He has a laptop in his hands. He’s looking at the opposing team, coming up with the report, helping us out,” Cristopher Sánchez said through a team interpreter. “And I just think that’s a testament to him and the preparation that he puts [in] for us to go out there and [be] able to thrive.”
Added reliever Tanner Banks: “After games, [he’s] doing workouts when guys are showering to go home. He’s a bulldog behind the dish.”
Realmuto said he was “self-aware” about his offensive decline over the last few seasons, but he believes he can turn it around.
“I know that I haven’t had my best years [the] last couple years, but I do believe that it’s not, like, age or physically related,” he said. “It’s something that I can improve on and work on and be better for the years to come.”
His training regimen is a big part of that, and it has evolved over the years. Rather than lifting as heavily as possible and bulking up, as he did when he was younger, Realmuto now focuses on training for mobility and longevity.
The aging curve typically is unforgiving for catchers. Yadier Molina is the only other catcher in baseball history to start more than 130 games behind the plate in his age-33 season or beyond.
Realmuto played 132 games behind the plate last season, at age 34, and stayed healthy. With a multiyear deal, the Phillies are betting that Realmuto can continue to defy the odds.
“He’s a great athlete. I mean, a lot of times you don’t see catchers in that same type of situation,” Dombrowski said. “… It wouldn’t shock me if you’re sitting here in another three years, and J.T. is talking about a multiyear contract beyond that. He’s that type of individual. You look at historical aspects, but I also think you’re talking about a unique individual that will continue to perform very well.”
Extra bases
Zack Wheeler continues to progress in his rehab from thoracic outlet decompression surgery and has thrown up to 90 feet. “He looks good, but there’s no guarantees when he’s going to get up on the mound. He eventually will,” manager Rob Thomson said. … There is mutual interest between Sánchez and the Dominican Republic national team for the World Baseball Classic, but Sánchez said he still is discussing it with the Phillies and has not made a decision on his participation.
Team USA has added a third Phillie to its star-studded roster for the World Baseball Classic.
Reliever Brad Keller is set to join Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber representing the United States on Mark DeRosa’s team, he announced on Friday. Keller, a righty, signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Phillies in December.
An increase in over 3 mph on his fastball last season led to a career year with the Cubs, with a 2.07 ERA and 0.962 WHIP. Keller parlayed that into a multiyear contract with the Phillies. He figures to be a key piece in the back end of the Phillies bullpen, and now has a role on Team USA.
Prior to the tournament, national teams will play exhibition games against major league squads, with the Phillies hosting Team Canada at BayCare Ballpark on March 4. WBC Pool play is set to begin on March 5, with rounds hosted in Miami, Houston, Tokyo, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Other Phillies players committed to playing at the WBC include pitcher Taijuan Walker, who is set to represent Mexico, and catcher Garrett Stubbs, who is committed to Team Israel.
Cy Young runner-up Cristopher Sánchez has expressed interest in pitching for the Dominican Republic but is not yet confirmed for the team’s roster.
Fellow lefty Jesús Luzardo said on this week’s episode of Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball show, that he received calls from both Team USA and Team Venezuela, but has decided not to participate as he heads into his final season before free agency. He pitched for Venezuela in 2023.
Less than 24 hours after losing out to the Dodgers in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, the Mets pivoted to Bo Bichette.
After New York swooped in with a three-year, $126 million deal for the infielder, the Phillies immediately made a pivot of their own. They agreed to terms with catcher J.T. Realmuto on a three-year, $45 million contract, a source confirmed to The Inquirer. The contract was first reported by The Athletic. The deal includes incentives worth up to $5 million more per year in awards bonuses, for a potential total of $60 million. The awards bonus package is a record for a free agent, a source said.
The contract will take Realmuto, who will be 35 in March, through his age-37 season.
He is coming off a down year offensively, slashing .257/.315/.384 with 12 homers, but has remained one of the top defensive catchers in baseball with a game-planning and pitch-calling ability that is highly touted by many Phillies pitchers.
“I’ve had a lot of great catchers I’ve been around. [Jorge] Posada. [Iván] Rodríguez for a short period of time. It goes on and on and on,” manager Rob Thomson said in October. “This guy, to me, is the most prepared guy I’ve ever been around as a catcher.”
Re-signing Realmuto, who has backstopped the Phillies since 2019, had been a main focus of the club throughout the offseason. But while the parties were apart on a deal, the Phillies began to show interest in adding Bichette as a lineup upgrade.
They met with Bichette virtually earlier this week, but instead of landing the two-time All-Star, they will now have to contend with him in the National League East.
A shortstop with the Blue Jays, Bo Bichette is expected to move to third base with the Mets.
Bichette spent the first seven years of his career with the Blue Jays as a shortstop. A right-handed contact hitter, Bichette posted a .311 batting average in 2025, second in the American League behind Aaron Judge. He injured his knee in September but returned to Toronto’s lineup in the World Series, playing second base for the first time in his major league career.
The Mets have an established shortstop in Francisco Lindor and traded for second baseman Marcus Semien earlier this offseason. Per multiple reports, Bichette is expected to play third base for the Mets, a position he has not played before.
The Phillies met with Bo Bichette virtually earlier this week, but instead of landing the two-time All-Star, they will now have to contend with him in the National League East.
Less than 24 hours after losing out to the Dodgers on the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, the Mets made a quick pivot and agreed to terms with Bichette, per multiple reports. The deal is for three years and $126 million, first reported by The Athletic. It contains no deferrals and opt-outs after the first and second years.
The Phillies immediately made a pivot of their own, and agreed to terms with catcher J.T. Realmuto on a three-year, $45 million contract according to multiple reports. The deal includes incentives that could reach as high as $60 million.
The contract will take Realmuto through his age-37 season.
He is coming off a down year offensively, slashing .257/.315/.384 with 12 homers, but has remained one of the top defensive catchers in baseball with a game-planning and pitch-calling ability that is highly touted by many Phillies pitchers.
“I’ve had a lot of great catchers I’ve been around. [Jorge] Posada. [Iván] Rodríguez for a short period of time. It goes on and on and on,” manager Rob Thomson said in October. “This guy, to me, is the most prepared guy I’ve ever been around as a catcher.”
Re-signing Realmuto, who has backstopped the Phillies since 2019, had been a main focus of the club throughout the offseason. But while both parties were apart on a deal, the Phillies began to show interest in adding Bichette as a lineup upgrade.
Bichette spent the first six years of his career with the Blue Jays as a shortstop. A right-handed contact hitter, Bichette posted a .311 batting average in 2025, second in the American League behind Aaron Judge. He injured his knee in September but returned for Toronto’s lineup in the World Series, playing second base for the first time in his major league career.
The Mets have an established shortstop in Francisco Lindor and traded for second baseman Marcus Semien earlier this offseason. Per multiple reports, Bichette is expected to play third base for the Mets, a position he has not played before.
The Phillies’ interest in Bichette had increased over the last few weeks with catcher J.T. Realmuto still unsigned. Bichette also has a close relationship with former Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly, who the Phillies hired in January.
The international signing period opened Thursday, and the Phillies officially signed one of the top-ranked prospects in this year’s class.
Venezuelan center fielder Francisco Renteria, ranked the No. 3 international prospect in 2026 by MLBPipeline, signed with the Phillies for a $4 million bonus, according to Baseball America.
The 17-year-old Renteria’s biggest tool is his raw power, while he also has speed and athleticism. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he has experience playing against older opponents in Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Last month, he put on a show at a Venezuelan home run derby with 18 homers.
Parte de la actuación del súper prospecto de Las Águilas del Zulia Francisco Rentería en el Home Run Derby.
Renteria’s bonus is the second-highest for an international prospect in the 2026 class. It is also the highest for a Phillies international amateur signing since 2015, when Dominican outfielder Jhailyn Ortiz signed for $4 million.
Ortiz was ranked the Phillies’ No. 18 prospect in 2020, though he did not reach the majors. He ascended to triple A in 2023 but became a free agent after the season and has since played in independent leagues.
Aroon Escobar is the highest-ranked international signee prospect in the Phillies system. The second baseman signed out of Venezuela in 2022 for $450,000 and is ranked the Phillies’ No. 5 prospect by MLBPipeline.
For the first time since he was a teenager, Ranger Suárez is not a Phillie.
The left-hander agreed to a five-year, $130 million contract with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, according to multiple reports, including the New York Post.
The Phillies signed Suárez out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old, and he developed into an All-Star and key member of their starting rotation, known for his unflappable nature on the mound. In 2022, he threw the pitch that clinched the Phillies’ National League pennant. Suárez, 30, owns a 1.48 career postseason ERA.
Despite a fastball that averaged just 90.5 mph in 2025, Suárez was extremely effective at limiting hard contact, with just a 5.5% barrel rate and a 31.3% hard-hit rate.
However, with Andrew Painter expected to compete for a rotation spot in 2026 and Suárez primed for a payday as one of the top lefties on the market, a reunion with the Phillies always seemed unlikely.
Suárez also has past injury concerns. His 157⅓ innings in 2025 were a career high after he started the season on the injured list with back stiffness.
Now he’ll head to the American League East. The Red Sox pivoted to improving their rotation after third baseman Alex Bregman signed a five-year deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Since Suárez declined the Phillies’ qualifying offer, they will receive a compensatory draft pick after the fourth round in the 2026 draft.
Fellow left-hander Jesús Luzardo is entering his final year of team control in 2026. During an appearance this week on Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, Luzardo said he would be “really interested in” a contract extension with the Phillies.
