Red Sox interested in adding veteran free-agent catcher
Boston continues to come up in early hot stove rumors, with the Winter Meetings fast approaching.
Oct 9, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) reacts after striking out in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Boston Red Sox continue to monitor the open market as the MLB offseason begins to heat up. According to the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Jen McCaffrey, Boston is reportedly interested in adding free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto.
The 34-year-old catcher would bring offense and experience to the Sox lineup, and would fill a need as a right-handed hitter. Realmuto had a solid offensive season in 2025, hitting .257 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs.
At this stage, Rosenthal and McCaffrey both claimed that Realmuto is most likely to return to Philadelphia. The Phillies don’t have an in-house replacement for the veteran catcher, and Realmuto — who has been in Philly since 2019 — has personnel connections with the organization as well. Boston would more than likely have to overcompensate financially to lure Realmuto out of Philadelphia, and considering catcher isn’t a major need for the club, it makes that less likely.
Hypothetically, if the Red Sox were to acquire Realmuto, it could mean Carlos Narvaez may be in for a reduced role or on the move elsewhere. Narvaez had a hot offensive start to 2025, but significantly cooled off in the second half. The right-handed catcher finished with an average of .241 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs.
Narvaez did deal with a left knee injury in 2025, and considering Realmuto has shown to be durable over the course of his career, the veteran could be a more reliable option despite his age. Realmuto has played 100-plus games in nine of his 12 major league seasons.
It remains to be seen how aggressive the Red Sox will be over the course of the offseason, beyond just being the "interest kings." But they've shown a willingness to make a swift move with Tuesday's trade acquisition of veteran starter Sonny Gray from the Cardinals.
