The Philadelphia Phillies are full of star-level veterans in 2025. They may be on the older side as a group, but they still maintain a threatening level of skill and power that can propel them into a deep playoff run every year. Another worry is the usage of their current roster the way it’s configured. They may peak the same as high-level athletes, but a mindfulness is now incorporated when it comes to the longevity of their stars.

The catcher position is a perfect example of maintaining a player’s health over the course of 162 games. Catchers can’t play behind the plate all 162, so rest days naturally get implemented.

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is very familiar when the rest required for a catcher to stay fresh throughout a season. Realmuto has made it clear that he prefers to play as often as possible as he has become an iron man behind the plate, per Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Over the winter and in spring training, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that he was planning to give Realmuto more days off his feet, whether that be as a designated hitter or even possibly the outfield. Realmuto wasn’t a fan of the idea, but was open to doing anything for the team to win.

The Phillies are also fighting with the idea that they don’t really have another catcher to step into his place. There hasn’t been an answer yet as to replace Realmuto’s defensive prowess and solid middle-of-the-order bat.

Despite the Phillies’ stated plans in spring training, Realmuto has gone right back to the same workload he had in 2024. Through the end of April, Realmuto had logged 26 games, the same amount he did last season at this point. He has been the designated hitter in only one of those games. He got off to a slow start, slashing .237/.308/.361 with a pair of home runs, eight RBIs, nine runs scored and four steals through April.

Realmuto is now 34 and can’t keep playing forever, as much as the sport wants him too. He’s a stud when he’s on the diamond, but he may be too tough for his own good. A knee injury took its toll last year and forced him to sit out for almost six weeks, per MLB.com’s Jake Crouse. The Phillies have to take care of their star catcher and with added rest, even an uptick in offense could be in the cards for the backstop.

Realmuto is in the final year of his five-year, $115.5 million deal. The motivation of playing for a new contract could be worth the risk for Realmuto and a reason why they have been playing him just as much. The Phillies just need to be careful that they don’t run him into the ground while keeping him happy here in Philadelphia.