With spring training three weeks away, the Phillies know so much more now about the team they’ll bring to camp and the core they’ll have in place for five years.
J.T. Realmuto is back in the fold. The Phillies made him the highest-paid catcher ever on an annual basis with a five-year, $115.5 million contract that averages $23.1 million.
The number that matters toward the Phillies’ competitive balance tax figure is that $23.1 million, the annual average value (AAV) of Realmuto’s deal. The competitive balance tax is commonly referred to as the luxury tax. The threshold is $210 million in 2021. Teams are taxed on every dollar over the threshold. A first-time offender pays a 20% tax on overages. If a team dips below the threshold in a subsequent season, the penalty resets.
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SIGN UP HERE The Phillies’ updated CBT figure is an estimated $179.5 million with Realmuto, leaving them about $30 million of wiggle room underneath the threshold to continue adding this offseason or ahead of the 2021 trade deadline.
Realmuto is the third $100 million player on the Phillies’ roster.
The AAV on Bryce Harper’s 13-year, $330 million contract is just over $25.3 million.
The AAV on Zack Wheeler’s five-year, $118 million contract is $23.6 million.
MLB
Realmuto is at $23.1 million, just over the previous record for a catcher — Joe Mauer’s eight-year, $184 million deal with the Twins which ended after 2018.
Here’s how it shakes out:
- Bryce Harper: $25,384,615
- Zack Wheeler: $23.6M
- J.T. Realmuto: $23.1M
- Andrew McCutchen: $16,666,667
- Jean Segura: $14M
- Aaron Nola: $11.25M
- Odubel Herrera: $6.1M
- Archie Bradley: $6M
- Hector Neris: $5M
- Rhys Hoskins: $4.8M
- Zach Eflin: $4.45M
- Vince Velasquez: $4M
- Scott Kingery: $4M
- Andrew Knapp: $1.1M
- Jose Alvarado: $1M
- David Hale: $850,000
- Seranthony Dominguez: $727,500
Pre-arbitration: Roman Quinn, Adam Haseley, Alec Bohm
Buyouts: $2M for David Robertson, $250,000 for David Phelps
Add in the estimated salaries for 40-man roster players in the minor leagues, and player benefits, and the number is just under $179.5 million.
The Phillies’ estimated CBT figure was a bit over $207 million in 2020 and $192 million in 2019.
This offseason has been different amid the pandemic yet the top players have gotten paid. George Springer signed with the Blue Jays last week for $150 million over six years. DJ LeMahieu returned to the Yankees for $90 million over six years. Liam Hendriks, the top closer, got $54 million. Trevor Bauer's AAV should come close to Gerrit Cole's record $36 million per year.
The Phils still have work to do. They need a shortstop. They also still need more pitching. They could use another veteran reliever to complement Archie Bradley, Hector Neris and likely Jose Alvarado at the back end of the bullpen. Guys like Joakim Soria, Sergio Romo and Steve Cishek could help. The Phillies also need more starting pitching depth beyond their five-man rotation.
Dave Dombrowski isn't finished.
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