Knapp embraces fluid role with Phillies

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Andrew Knapp wondered, like everybody else, what might happen this offseason with J.T. Realmuto.

It sounded for months like the Phillies had no plans to make Realmuto the highest-paid catcher in baseball history. So, long before Realmuto signed a five-year, $115.5 million contract to return to Philadelphia, Knapp prepared himself to play more than he had in his career. How could he not? The Phils talked often about Plans B, C and D, if Realmuto signed elsewhere. Knapp figured to be a major part of them.

“I would have been doing everyone a disservice if I didn't come in ready to play 100 games,” Knapp said recently at BayCare Ballpark.

But now that Realmuto is back, Knapp has returned to a reserve role, unless Realmuto is not ready by Opening Day. Realmuto fractured his right thumb last month, but he is healing well. He had a hard cast removed on Thursday, and he will learn this Thursday if he can lose the splint. Realmuto said three weeks is plenty of time to be ready by April 1, when the Phillies host the Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

If Realmuto needs more time, Knapp will play.

Quietly, Knapp has been one of the more productive backup catchers in baseball over the past two years. He slashed .278/.404/.444 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in 89 plate appearances last season. His 0.5 WAR tied for 17th among all catchers, according to FanGraphs. His 0.7 WAR the past two seasons is 41st among catchers.

“I think there’s one thing that people oversee a lot,” Bryce Harper said last week, when asked about Realmuto’s return. “I know everybody talks about Knapp and the way he hits or whatever, but that guy -- to have a backup catcher like Knapp, he’s so good with the pitchers. The way he calls games, the way he frames -- so much goes into it. He's so good back there.

“So if J.T. can't go, which I have no idea if he can or not, then I'm totally fine with Knapp being back there and him being our guy until J.T. can come back. But knowing J.T., he'll be ready for Opening Day.”

Knapp hit .257 with a .368 on-base percentage and a .736 OPS as a rookie in 2017. He hit a combined .204 with a .305 on-base percentage and a .623 OPS in 2018-19. But Knapp seemed to figure out something in the second half of ‘19. He has hit .289 with a .387 on-base percentage and an .840 OPS in 151 plate appearances over his last 60 games dating to July 26, 2019.

“I felt like I played a lot more like myself,” Knapp said about his 2020 season. “I think it started in that second Spring Training, just being able to get a ton of reps because we weren't playing anyone else. So basically, J.T. was catching one, I was catching the other. And then working with [hitting coach] Joe [Dillon] just on at-bat stuff, less swing stuff, like just being able to compete.”

Compete how?

“Like, more about more about competing pitch to pitch instead of worrying about the mechanics,” he said. “When you're not playing every day, it's easy to fester over a single at-bat and think, ‘Oh, man, it was a mechanical issue,’ instead of it just being just the game. If I get 20 at-bats a week, I don't really care about that one at-bat. Playing more helps getting in rhythm. I feel like I'm in a good spot with where the swing is now, and it's really just about competing.”

Phillies manager Joe Girardi said he expects Knapp to play more this season than in previous seasons. How much more remains to be seen, though Girardi said that he likes the idea of keeping Zach Eflin and Knapp paired together. In those stretches when Realmuto plays almost every day, Knapp has found a routine to try to stay sharp.

“He’s able to do some stuff, you know, in the cage to keep himself sharp, and keep him on the velocity,” Dillon said. “So when he did get those chances, he was able to take advantage and capitalize on his opportunity.”

Knapp will play when Realmuto cannot or when he needs a break. Knapp might play whenever Eflin is on the mound.

“That's the role,” Knapp said. “I've been doing it for long enough to know that anything could change at a moment's notice.”