Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies committed to paying all full-time employees their full salaries through May amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Phillies managing partner and principal owner John Middleton informed team employees of the decision Friday via email.

Also, the Phillies donated $1 million to part-time employees, and many of them were given stipends Friday.

The Phillies are the second MLB franchise to commit to paying their full-time employees through May. All 30 MLB teams previously agreed to pay their employees through at least April, and the Atlanta Braves became the first to guarantee salaries through May.

In part of the email acquired by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Middleton wrote: "We are all part of the Phillies family, and together we will get through this."

Middleton also acknowledged the possibility of the Phillies having to make some payment changes at some point depending on how long the COVID-19 pandemic makes it unsafe for teams to play:

"There may very well come a time when certain adjustments have to be made. However, that time is not now. ... The status of this insidious virus changes daily, as you all know, and it is impossible to project too far into the future. If and when the day comes that salary adjustments are necessary, I assure you that we will make such adjustments The Phillies Way. We will treat everyone—whether on the baseball or business side—as fairly as we can."

The 2020 MLB season had been scheduled to start March 26, but MLB decided to shut down operations during spring training, following the lead of the NBA and NHL.

Several proposals to get the season going have been made public, but the one that has been discussed most often and is considered most feasible is "The Arizona Plan," which would see all 30 teams stay in Arizona and play all of their games there without fans in attendance.

Teams would be quarantined in hotels and tested regularly for COVID-19 in an effort to prevent it from spreading, though this could mean players are separated from their families for an extended period of time, which could draw opposition.

Also, if no fans are allowed to attend the games, teams will have to decide how that will impact pay for players and other team employees.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler knows exactly where he will be if Major League Baseball is playing games when his wife, Dominique, goes into labor with the couple's first child. 

Speaking to NBC 10 (h/t NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark), Wheeler said he won't miss the birth of his first child even if the MLB season has started:

"I am not going to miss the birth of my first child. I don't care. I'm going to be there for her and the birth of my child. That's a fact. I think anybody would do the same thing. Any dad. Whether I have to come back here (Atlanta) and be with her and miss two more weeks because I have to quarantine to play again, so be it."

Clark noted Dominique is expected to give birth in 3.5 months. 

Wheeler's comments come in the wake of ESPN's Jeff Passan reporting Tuesday that MLB and the players are exploring a plan that could lead to the season starting as soon as May. 

The plan dictates all 30 teams play in empty stadiums around the Phoenix area, where a number of spring training facilities and the Arizona Diamondbacks' home stadium are located. It would require players, coaches and other essential team personnel to live in "relative isolation" with travel allowed only to and from the stadium.

MLB issued a statement in response to Passan's report, noting it is "actively considering numerous contingency plans," but "we have not settled on that option or developed a detailed plan" at this point. 

The 2020 MLB regular season was set to begin on March 26 but has been postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Wheeler signed a five-year, $118 million contract with the Phillies during the offseason. The Georgia native spent the past seven seasons with the New York Mets. He set career highs with 195.1 innings and 195 strikeouts in 2019.

Major League Baseball does not have support from Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler to conduct the 2020 season strictly in Arizona amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"I couldn’t even imagine missing the birth and just not being around and going, 'Hey, I'll see you in December' or whenever it is," Wheeler told The Athletic's Andy McCullough in a story published Tuesday. "That's not going to work."

Wheeler and his wife, Dominique, are expected to welcome their first child in July.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported late Monday night that MLB was focused on starting the season "as early as May" and outlined a plan being discussed:

"The plan, sources said, would dictate that all 30 teams play games at stadiums with no fans in the Phoenix area, including the Arizona Diamondbacks' Chase Field, 10 spring training facilities and perhaps other nearby fields. Players, coaching staffs and other essential personnel would be sequestered at local hotels, where they would live in relative isolation and travel only to and from the stadium, sources said.

"Federal officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the National Institutes of Health have been supportive of a plan that would adhere to strict isolation, promote social distancing and allow MLB to become the first professional sport to return."

Wheeler wasn't the only player to express concerns to McCullough. Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale, who underwent Tommy John surgery last month, similarly wouldn't prefer to "look at my kids through a screen for four or five months" as a father of three.

Cleveland manager Terry Francona and Eireann Dolan, wife to Washington Capitals reliever Sean Doolittle, were also pessimistic:

However, stars including New York Yankees pitcher Adam Ottavino and Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado are open to the idea.

MLB released a statement Tuesday morning saying no plan has been decided upon:

The league canceled all remaining spring training activities and delayed Opening Day to comply with social distancing regulations and orders against large public gatherings.

Bryce Harper landed a record-breaking 13-year contract worth $330 million with the Philadelphia Phillies in February 2019.

Now, the 27-year-old All-Star outfielder wants Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto to get his.

"I think the Phillies organization absolutely loves J.T. and our team absolutely loves him as well," Harper told NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury.

Harper continued:

"He's the best catcher in baseball. He's a great person. He's a great family man. He's a guy that we need in our clubhouse. I think the Phillies fans understand that as well. Us as an organization, we have to understand that he's going to help us in the years to come and if you want the best catcher in baseball then we'll make that happen.

"But at this time, of course, it's shut down, but I don't think anybody should fear us not getting J.T. back. I want him more than anything, so I mean it's something we need to make happen as an organization. But you know when that time comes, then (GM Matt) Klentak and (managing partner John) Middleton will make that decision and hopefully, he's back in Phillies red."

The Phillies and Realmuto mutually agreed to pause all contract talks after MLB announced the cancellation of spring training and delay of Opening Day on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Klentak confirmed on March 17.

Realmuto's 2020 salary was set by the Phillies at $10 million after the club won an arbitration case against the 29-year-old All-Star. He was requesting $12.4 million for the one-year deal.

Realmuto was traded from the Miami Marlins to Philadelphia on Feb. 7, 2019. In his first season with the team, he hit a career-high 25 home runs and plated a career-most 83 RBI on a .275/.328/.493 slash line. Behind the plate, Realmuto led the league by catching 47 percent of runners attempting to steal.

The two-time All-Star earned his first Gold Glove and second Silver Slugger.

Realmuto is using that production as leverage to ask for a top-line deal, per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer in mid-March: 

"The All-Star catcher can become a free agent after the season, though, and his representatives are believed to be using Joe Mauer’s catcher-record $23 million average annual salary as a baseline in extension talks. One source suggested Realmuto’s camp is targeting St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130 million extension last year."

Despite possessing star power in the likes of Harper and Realmuto, the Phillies underperformed in 2019. They missed the postseason for the eighth straight year at 81-81.

Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper announced Thursday that he would be donating $500,000 in total to three foundations—the Direct Relief and Three Square foundations in Las Vegas and the Philabundance foundation in Philadelphia—in support of COVID-19 relief efforts.

"Las Vegas will always be my family's first home. Philadelphia, our home away from home, welcomed us with open arms from day one," Harper wrote in his statement. "These communities mean so much to us, and Kayla and I want to do our part to help battle the effects of the virus in Vegas and Philly."

The Phillies as an organization, meanwhile, started a $1 million fund for team employees impacted by the MLB hiatus. Team owner John Middleton spoke in March about that decision, per CBS Philly:

"During this period of uncertainty, the Phillies want to provide reassurance to our staff by making financial assistance available to those who have been impacted by the delay of the start of the 2020 regular season. Their contributions are a vital part of our fans' experience at Citizens Bank Park, and we want them to have peace of mind as we navigate through this unprecedented time."

MLB's Opening Day was originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26, though because of the COVID-19 pandemic the season has been suspended. It is unclear when, or if, the games will return, with the possibility the league adopts an unorthodox format for the season if play does resume.

One rumor, per 670 The Score's Nick Spiegel, is that the league will consider playing a 100-game season, with no All-Star Game, and the World Series played on a neutral field in a warm-weather city. That potential format would have games beginning on July 1. 

Given that the United States currently has the world's highest total of documented coronavirus cases (234,462, according to CNN.com), however, a July 1 return to action may be fairly optimistic. 

As for Harper, the 27-year-old outfielder had a solid first season in Philadelphia, hitting .260 with 35 homers, 114 RBI, 98 runs and 15 stolen bases. But it was a disappointing year for the Phillies overall, as they finished just 81-81, fourth in the NL East. 

The Philadelphia Phillies and catcher J.T. Realmuto have mutually agreed to hit pause on contract negotiations, general manager Matt Klentak said Tuesday per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The decision came after MLB announced the cancellation of spring training and delay of Opening Day "by at least two weeks" in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The league provided an update on Monday stating that it plans to abide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation for gatherings of 50 or more people to be either cancelled or postponed over the next eight weeks.

That gives plenty of time for speculation to keep building around Realmuto.

The two-time All-Star lost his arbitration case with the Phillies in late February, which meant his 2020 salary was set by Philly at $10 million instead of Realmuto's requested $12.4 million. If the two sides can't come to an agreement on a long-term extension, he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2021.

Lauber provided insight into what it could take for the Phillies to secure Realmuto: "His representatives are believed to be using Joe Mauer's catcher-record $23 million average annual salary as a baseline in extension talks. One source suggested Realmuto's camp is targeting St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130 million extension last year."

MLB Network's Jon Heyman mentioned Goldschmidt's as "a talking point for Realmuto's camp" and also reported that the Gold Glover's agents want to best San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey's eight-year, $159 million extension while appearing on the Big Time Baseball podcast last week (h/t Rotoworld).

Posey signed that deal in March 2013. He was younger than Realmuto at the time (entering his aged-26 season) and coming off of an All-Star 2012 campaign that saw him lead MLB with a .336 batting average and a career-high 24 home runs. Behind the plate in '12, Posey caught a career-high 38 runners trying to steal.

Realmuto turned 29 on Wednesday. Last season, his first year in Philadelphia after the Miami Marlins traded him there in February 2019, the Oklahoma native hit a career-most 25 home runs on a .275/.328/.493 slash line across 145 games. He started 130 games at catcher, earning his first Gold Glove.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper said he was "totally fine" after exiting Tuesday's spring training contest against the Minnesota Twins with an apparent foot injury, per Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Harper was removed from the game after being hit in the left foot by a pitch from Twins starter Sean Poppen in the bottom of the first inning:

The Phillies star noted after the game, though, he was taken out as a precaution. 

Harper was mostly durable in his first season in Philadelphia after signing a 13-year, $330 million contract in Feb. 2019. The 2015 National League MVP played in 157 of Philly's 162 regular-season contests.

Even though Harper was able to avoid major injury, the 26-year-old had an up-and-down 2019 by his standards. Ultimately, Harper finished with a .260/.372/.510 slash line that produced 35 home runs and 114 RBI. 

Harper's landmark moment since joining the Phillies was by far a walk-off grand slam:

Harper's most recent significant injury came during the 2017 campaign while still a member of the Washington Nationals. He suffered a knee injury on Aug. 12 while slipping on first base and didn't return until Sept. 26.

Losing Harper to injury would have been a tough blow to a Phillies outfield that is currently trying to get healthy. Andrew McCutchen is not expected to be ready for Opening Day as he continues to work his way back from a torn ACL. Meanwhile, three-time All-Star Jay Bruce has battled a flexor strain since last season.

Bryce Harper's first season in Philadelphia wasn't quite what he or fans expected. As Harper prepares to embark on his second season as a Phillie, he's making it clear the City of Brotherly Love's frustrated response to his struggles in 2019 haven't done anything to alter his love of the city. 

Harper told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show:

"I just knew that coming into Philly they want you to work hard and they hold you accountable, and I love that.

"My dad and my family always held me accountable growing up, they always wanted me to work hard and do everything I could to be a good person, a good baseball player and that's what I want to do for this city. I want to go out there and be the best baseball player I can be each night and I want to run hard, I want to play hard, and I want to run through a wall for this city."

The 27-year-old hit .260/.372/.510 with 35 home runs and 110 runs batted in last season. While those are fine numbers, they were nothing near the MVP-caliber expectations that came after Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract last offseason.

Fans began booing Harper as early as May, which comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with the famously contentious Philadelphia crowd. 

"I don't want it to be easy. I really want it to be a grind every day," Harper said of his expectations for his second season with the Phillies. "I want to do everything I can to help bring this city a championship, on the baseball field of course. I want to grind and do everything I can each day to help this team win, but also I want it to be easy on the family side."

The Phillies, who won only one more game (81) last year with Harper from the previous season, enter 2020 as contenders in a wide-open NL East. They added Zack Wheeler and Didi Gregorius to help fortify their roster around Harper, and Andrew McCutchen is expected to return at some point early in the season from a torn ACL. 

The Miami Marlins are the only team not considered a playoff contender in the division; much of the Phillies' ascent will be dependent on Harper reaching bigger heights as he gets more comfortable in Philadelphia. 

The co-creators of the Phillie Phanatic are unhappy with the Philadelphia Phillies' attempts to tweak the mascot in an effort to continue using it after the copyright expires June 15.

According to Fox 29 in Philadelphia, co-creator Wayde Harrison took issue with the Phillies' tactics, saying, "The Phillies' lack of good faith in negotiating for an extension of the copyright assignment for the Phillie Phanatic is disappointing. But the unveiling of the so-called 'new' Phanatic on Sunday is an afront to our intellectual property rights and to Phillies fans everywhere."

Co-creator Bonnie Erickson added, "The Phanatic has performed successfully for the Phillies and the city of Philadelphia for decades. The 'business decision' by the Phillies to roll out this 'new' Phanatic is a transparent attempt to deny us our rights under of the Copyright Act. We would love to have the real Phanatic continue with the Phillies."

The Phanatic debuted with a new look Sunday during a Phillies spring training game. While he is still green, fuzzy and sporting a Phillies jersey, some slight adjustments were made, including a shorter snout and stars behind his eyes:

The Phillies purchased the Phillie Phanatic copyright from Harrison and Erickson in 1984 after they created the mascot in 1978. By law, artists are allowed to renegotiate their rights fees after 35 years.

Last year, the Phillies filed a lawsuit against Harrison and Erickson, arguing that they should maintain the mascot's rights.

The legal battle seems unlikely to end any time soon, especially if the Phillies proceed with the revised Phillie Phanatic without renegotiating with the creators.

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is reportedly expected to seek a record-setting contract for a catcher when he becomes a free agent next winter.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Realmuto will push for an annual salary that exceeds the $23 million the Minnesota Twins paid Joe Mauer. He also noted Realmuto "quite possibly" could look for a seven-year deal.

Buster Posey is currently the highest-paid catcher in baseball at $21.4 million, which came as part of the eight-year, $168 million extension he signed in 2013. No other catcher has a total contract value of more than $73 million, and there are only five catchers who will make $10 million or more in 2020.

Mauer's deal is widely considered one of the worst in recent memory, an albatross that hung over the small-market Twins until its expiration. Posey was an All-Star as recently as 2018 but showed signs of massive decline last season and is under contract for another $21.4 million next season.

The recent trend in catching contracts makes it highly unlikely Realmuto comes close to reaching the years benchmark he's looking for despite being widely viewed as the best player at his position. Yasmani Grandal was forced to settle for a four-year, $73 million contract over the winter.

While Realmuto is a better player than Grandal, something in the five-year, $100 million range may be a more realistic figure. The Phillies won their arbitration case with their starting catcher Thursday, meaning he will make $10 million in 2020 before hitting the open market. Realmuto hit .275/.328/.493 with 25 home runs and 83 runs batted in last season. 

John Clark of NBC Sports Philly reported the Phillies are expected to enter into extension negotiations with Realmuto now that the arbitration process has ended. 

If Mauer money is considered the starting point of negotiations, the overwhelming odds are these two sides won't get anywhere close to a deal by the winter.