Prior to tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Phillies reinstated catcher J.T. Realmuto from the 10-day injured list and recalled right-handed pitcher Yunior Marte from Lehigh Valley (AAA). To make room for both players on the 26-man roster, catcher Rafael Marchán was optioned to Lehigh Valley today and right-handed pitcher Michael Mercado was optioned to Lehigh Valley following last night’s game.
Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement.
Realmuto, 33, was originally placed on the 10-day IL on June 11 (retro to 6/10) and underwent right knee meniscectomy surgery on June 12. He is slashing .261/.309/.411 with a .720 OPS in 51 games (223 PA) for the Phillies this season and ranks second among all catchers in average pop time to second base per Statcast at 1.86 seconds. Earlier this year, Realmuto posted a career-high 17-game hitting streak, which was the longest for a Phillie who primarily played catcher since at least 1900.
Realmuto was originally selected by the Florida Marlins in the third round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He was traded by the Marlins to the Phillies on Feb. 7, 2019, and signed a five-year contract with the club taking him through the 2025 season on Jan. 29, 2021.
Marte, 29, returns to the Phillies for his third stint this season. In 15 appearances for the club, he has posted a 3.31 ERA (6 ER, 16.1 IP) with 15 strikeouts against six walks. A native of Santo Domingo, D.R., Marte has thrown 102 sinkers this year and has held opponents to a .115 batting average and .115 slugging percentage against the pitch. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Royals as an amateur free agent on July 19, 2012, before being acquired by the Phillies from the San Francisco Giants on Jan. 8, 2023.
Marchán, 25, played in 17 games for the Phillies, starting 14, after Realmuto’s placement on the IL. He slashed .294/.345/.549 in 56 plate appearances with four doubles, three home runs and six RBI. A native of San Cristóbal, Venezuela, Marchán was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent on July 2, 2015.
Mercado, 25, appeared in four games for the Phillies and made two starts after making his Major League debut in relief on June 24 against the Tigers in Detroit. He posted a 9.26 ERA (12 ER, 11.2 IP) in those four games but allowed only one earned run over his first 6.0 innings from June 24-July 2. He was originally selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft before being acquired by the Phillies from the Rays in a trade on Nov. 6, 2023.
