Phillies bolster lineup, get catcher Realmuto from Marlins

MIAMI — In October, J.T. Realmuto’s agent predicted the Miami Marlins’ All-Star catcher would be with another team by spring training.

He was right. Realmuto on Thursday was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Jorge Alfaro, two pitching prospects and international signing bonus pool allocation.

Along with Alfaro, the Marlins acquired highly regarded pitchers Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart. Realmuto had been with the Marlins longer than any other current player. Last fall his agent, Jeff Berry, said Realmuto informed the Marlins he would not sign a long-term contract with them and predicted a trade.

Philadelphia, still pursuing free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, has bolstered its lineup with the additions of Realmuto, shortstop Jean Segura and 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen. The Phillies had the worst batting average in the major leagues last year (.234) and were third in strikeouts (1,520). They led their division with the second-best record in the NL one week into August, then went 16-33 over the final 49 games and finished with a losing record (80-82) for the sixth straight season.

Miami’s rebuilding project will probably continue for several years under CEO Derek Jeter, whose group bought the team after the 2017 season.

Odds and ends

Outfielder Hunter Pence agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. If he is added to the 40-man roster, Pence would get a one-year contract that pays $2 million. Pence, 35, who was drafted by the Astros in 2004, dealt with a thumb injury early in 2017, when he played 97 games for San Francisco. He hit .226 with four homers and 24 RBIs, all career lows. Pence is a .280 career hitter in 12 seasons with Houston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, where he was part of two World Series titles. … Kansas City signed reliever Brad Boxberger to a one-year, $2.2 million contract. Boxberger, 30, was drafted by the Royals in 2006 but went unsigned, instead pitching for Southern California. He then was drafted by Boston in 2009. He also has pitched for San Diego, Tampa Bay and Arizona in his seven-year career.