Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto records milestone 200th caught stealing in win over Marlins
MIAMI — J.T. Realmuto had no idea that he’d recorded a career milestone when he gunned down Maximo Acosta trying to steal third base in the bottom of the seventh inning on Saturday, so he appreciated that Phillies manager Rob Thomson flagged down the baseball after the play.
With his 84.7 mph strike to third baseman Alec Bohm, who successfully tagged Acosta for the second out of the inning, the Phillies catcher caught his second runner stealing of the game and the 200th of his career (not including pickoffs and other putouts that didn’t include Realmuto actually throwing out a would-be stealer). At 34 years old, Realmuto’s arm and quickness still make him a weapon behind the plate.
“It was exciting,” Realmuto said after Philadelphia’s 4-2 win over the Marlins at loanDepot park. “I actually didn’t even know I was coming up on that, so the fact that Thoms knew and got the ball for me was pretty special. Definitely one that I’ll put up on the mantle. It’s exciting, for sure.”
In addition to his assist in the seventh, Realmuto helped starter Jesús Luzarado in the bottom of the first after Bryce Harper gave the Phillies an early lead with a two-run home run off right-hander Sandy Alcantara in the top of the inning. With one out and Agustín Ramírez taking off for second, Realmuto gloved a high pitch and fired to the base on a short hop. Shortstop Edmundo Sosa picked it and applied the tag.
“He saves us in a lot of tough situations, like he did for me,” Luzardo, who allowed two runs in six innings, said. “Threw someone out at second after a … guy gets on. So it’s just huge knowing that you have that back there and how he can get you out of tough spots by helping you out as well.”
Realmuto became just the sixth catcher in major-league history to nab at least 200 runners stealing and steal at least 100 bases himself, according to the Phillies. He’s been an everyday catcher this season and does not appear to be in line to reduce his workload beyond the occasional day off, reaching this new achievement while leading the big leagues in games (117) and innings (1,020 1/3) behind the plate.
“He’s another guy that is in tip-top shape and a great athlete,” Thomson said. “… There’s only six catchers in the history of the game that have 100 stolen bases and 200 caught stealing, and he’s one of them. So that just tells you how good he is — how good he’s been, and how good he is.”
The Phillies clinched a series win over the Marlins, Realmuto’s former team, on Saturday. They’ll go for a sweep in the finale on Sunday afternoon with Taijuan Walker on the mound. In a day game after a night game, there’s a chance backup Rafael Marchán could get a start in Realmuto’s place before Philadelphia hosts the New York Mets in a pivotal series at Citizens Bank Park starting Monday.