Garrett Stubbs is more than just the Phillies’ director of positive vibes: ‘I’ve helped this team win’

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Garrett Stubbs is aware of the perception.

For three seasons, he has been the Phillies’ dutiful backup catcher. But because he plays behind J.T. Realmuto, who plays more than any other catcher in baseball, he’s best known for cheerleading from the dugout railing, curating the playlist that blares in the clubhouse, and donning celebratory overalls (and little else) after victories.

Stubbs is the director of positive vibes, and well, that’s fine.

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Here, though, are things you probably didn’t know: Every day, whether or not he’s in the lineup, Stubbs helps assemble the advance report on the opponent. He sits in on pre-series and pregame meetings with the pitchers. And he assists pitching coach Caleb Cotham with strategy and game-planning.

“I’ve helped this team win,” Stubbs said before a workout here this week, “and I plan on doing that for a long time here. I hope that they see that the same way.”

It’s evident that the Phillies do value Stubbs’ intelligence and leadership. How else could they possibly justify keeping him on the roster despite a .206 batting average and 12 extra-base hits since 2023? Major league catchers averaged a .688 OPS over the last two years; Stubbs’ was .558.

But manager Rob Thomson is hoping to trim Realmuto’s workload. The Phillies might ask their backup catcher to play closer to 60 games than 40, and Stubbs is facing a spring-training challenge from 25-year-old Rafael Marchán.

A switch hitter and solid defender, Marchán has long been a curiosity to the Phillies. He hasn’t started more than 58 games in a season since 2021 because of assorted injuries but played well for five weeks last season while Realmuto was recovering from knee surgery.

Oh, and there’s a wrinkle to the competition: Marchán is out of minor league options and must clear waivers before getting sent to triple A. Stubbs, despite turning 32 in May and not playing in the minors since 2021, still has one option and not enough major league service time to refuse a triple-A assignment.

And so, Stubbs has the rare distinction as an underdog incumbent.

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“I don’t have much of a perspective on it, honestly,” he said. “I don’t know what they’re thinking. My thoughts are, ‘I’ve done a good job these past three years, and so I want to keep doing a good job.’ [Based on] our conversations from the past and the present, I think they see it that way. But there’s business things that happen as well.”

When Realmuto was sidelined last June, Stubbs got his busiest run of playing time as a major leaguer. He started 18 of 32 games and went 11-for-59 (.186) with a .516 OPS. The Phillies called up Marchán, and he went 15-for-51 (.294) with three homers and an .895 OPS in 17 games (14 starts).

“You never want your playing time to come because somebody else is injured, but I did have fun playing,” Stubbs said. “Everyone, when they talk about hitting, talks about rhythm and timing, and getting to play more helps with that immensely. Getting in there and having that stretch where I got to play a lot more was a lot of fun for me — and we were winning while we were doing it.”

Indeed, the Phillies went 10-8 with Stubbs behind the plate during that stretch and 25-22 overall in his starts. Most pitchers, notably ace Zack Wheeler, swear by Realmuto’s game-calling. Stubbs has developed a strong rapport with them, too, especially lefty Cristopher Sánchez.

“J.T. might take a few [more] games off this year, but I know he doesn’t want to do that,” Stubbs said. “As long as he’s healthy, we all know he can play at a high level playing 120 games. So my role and what I want to do is impact the game any way I can, even when I’m not in there.

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“I do work with Caleb and try to get our pitching staff as good as they can be by using my eyes behind the plate as well as looking at some of the numbers that we have and trying to get better in that direction as well as game planning. I take pride in us winning.”

Thomson listed several factors that will determine the backup catcher competition. Chief among them: “Health, being comfortable with our staff, and how they swing the bat.”

How much will the contractual details factor into the decision? Catching depth is at a premium, so if the Phillies prioritize keeping Stubbs and Marchán in the organization, the choice is easy.

Unless …

“If one’s playing much better than the other,” Thomson said, “it doesn’t matter.”

Said Stubbs: “I always come into camp competing for a job no matter what, whether it’s a business decision because of contractual things or a decision based off performance.”

Utility player Weston Wilson, a front-runner for a spot on the bench, was being evaluated after feeling discomfort in an oblique muscle in his side. Wilson, a right-handed hitter, is competing with Buddy Kennedy and lefty-hitting Kody Clemens and Cal Stevenson. Clemens and Kennedy, like Marchán, are out of options. … Take this for what it’s worth: Taijuan Walker struck out five consecutive hitters in live batting practice, with his fastball topping 92 mph, according to Thomson. “He looks better than he did when he won 15 games [in 2023],” Thomson said. If everyone’s healthy, Walker doesn’t have a spot in the starting rotation. The Phillies could try to trade him, although he’s making $36 million over the next two years. … After nonroster righty Nabil Crismatt starts the Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Tigers in Lakeland, Tyler Phillips and Sánchez are scheduled to start Sunday and Monday in Clearwater against the Orioles and Pirates. … The games Sunday and Monday are at 1:05 p.m. and will be televised by NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBCSP+, respectively.