There was a “Sign J.T.” banner outside Citizens Bank Park before the season opener. Some fans outside the ballpark chanted it each time J.T. Realmuto batted this season. And a popular pizza shop wrote it inside Bryce Harper’s pizza box, as the area seemed to be overtaken this summer by the campaign to bring back Realmuto.
But Realmuto is not the only player who Matt Klentak — or whoever the team’s general manager will be this offseason — needs to try to retain.
Didi Gregorius, who has a career-high batting average and OPS this season, while leading the Phillies in hits and RBIs, will be a free agent after outperforming a one-year $14 million deal. There may not be a “Sign Didi” movement, but the shortstop proved that he could have a longer stay than just one season.
“I love them both,” manager Joe Girardi said of Gregorius and Realmuto before Saturday night’s game. “Those are decisions for the offseason. No one really knows what the financial state of our game is going to be.”
That's the key right there, in case you missed it.
Covid will be dictating the MLB offseason, and any player who didn't get the memo better wake up. MLB Clubs have lost an incredible amount of revenue, and they aren't sure how or how soon they will be able to make it up.
That's going to impact every agent, player, owner, GM and story about who should be signed, when, and for how much.
I see a youth movement across the sport emerging and dominating for some years to come.
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