Coming into this offseason, many wondered whether the Phillies were going to be serious players in free agency. They were interested in bringing back star catcher J.T. Realmuto but managing partner John Middleton expressed hesitancy, citing an additional revenue shortfall in 2021 that could impede their chances of retaining the best catcher in baseball. The team also laid-off 17 percent of its workforce in response to the pandemic.
Months have gone by.