J.T. Realmuto ‘a lot better’ after losing 6 pounds from flu that kept him in bed for 3 days
"I can’t remember when I was that sick," said Realmuto, who expects to be back in the lineup on Tuesday.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — J.T. Realmuto felt great.
J.T. Realmuto felt lousy.
On March 10, the Phillies catcher hadn’t gotten a hit in nine days. He was 2-for-14 this spring, batting .143. Not the sort of start he’d hoped for coming off a season in which his OPS finished at .700, his lowest in a decade.
But that afternoon, fighting what he figured was a minor head cold, Realmuto blasted a 395-foot home run off visiting Yankees pitcher Luis Gil. The ball left his bat at 101.8 mph and tied the score at 2 in the third inning. He’d reached on an error in the first inning and later singled in fifth, so, after striking out six times in his first six spring games, he’d made contact in all three appearances.
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Realmuto felt great.
A few hours later he was in bed.
Realmuto felt lousy.
It turned out that Realmuto had been fighting the flu. He spent the Phillies’ off day, last Wednesday, sweating through the sheets, and that’s where he stayed for the next three days.
“I couldn’t break the fever,” Realmuto said Monday.
Realmuto said he’d lost six pounds by Saturday, which might not sound like much for a 212-pound catcher, but it’s a lot of weight for a fitness freak who carries about 8% body fat. He stayed away from his family while he was ill, which kept them healthy, and he stayed away from his teammates until Sunday, which kept them healthy, too.
He reported for some light work Sunday then returned for a full workout Monday while the team traveled to Lakeland, Fla., to play the Tigers. He took batting practice in the cage off hitting coach Kevin Long, and expects to be back in the lineup Tuesday when the Twins visit.
“Feel a lot better,” he said as he strapped on his shin guards and headed to the catchers’ turf for a ball-blocking drill. “I mean, I can’t remember when I was that sick.”