Philadelphia Phillies catcher JT Realmuto is scheduled to undergo surgery on his right knee and is on the injured list.
The Phillies announced the news on Tuesday ahead of a series against the Boston Red Sox. Realmuto will undergo a meniscectomy on Wednesday to address persistent knee pain. A timeline for his recovery and return was not initially clear.
The Phillies did not disclose the extent of the damage to Realmuto’s meniscus. According to the National Library of Medicine, a meniscectomy is typically performed “to relieve knee pain” in “patients with meniscal tears that are degenerative in nature.”
The Phillies have called up catcher Rafael Marchán from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Realmuto’s place on the roster.
A three-time All-Star, Realmuto is an integral part of the offense and defense for a Phillies team that is off to an NL-best 45-20 start. The Phillies are aiming for their second World Series appearance in three seasons and are likely hoping Realmuto can undergo the procedure and recover in time to be healthy for the long run and the postseason.
Realmuto is a career .272/.329/.453 hitter, slashing .261/.309/.411 with seven home runs, 20 RBI and 28 runs scored in 51 games. He sat out 14 of Philadelphia’s 65 games because of knee pain.
According to the Athletic, Realmuto has been dealing with knee pain since early May. He has slashed .135/.200/.189 over a nine-game stretch while playing through the pain.
Realmuto joined the Phillies via trade from the Miami Marlins in 2019 and has made two of his three career All-Star appearances with Philadelphia. With Realmuto behind the plate, the Phillies have made the playoffs the past two seasons and advanced to the World Series (2022) and NLCS (2023).
They currently hold a nine-game lead in the NL East over the second-place Atlanta Braves, who are dealing with season-ending injuries to reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and Cy Young hopeful Spencer Strider.
