The Atlanta Braves have their eye on this season only, as they sit in third place in a crowded NL East, 6.5 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies as of this writing. However, there is one reason to look ahead to the offseason, and it's a recent column by former MLB GM Jim Bowden, who writes for The Athletic. Bowden took an early look at the top-50 MLB free agents for the 2025-26 offseason. Among those players was Kyle Schwarber, who Bowden hinted could be of interest for the Braves.
The Phillies want to retain Schwarber and are prepared to give him a long-term contract at the appropriate time. However, several other teams would love to have him, including the Braves (if they lose Marcell Ozuna in free agency), Reds (who could use his power and leadership), Padres (he’d be a great fit in their clubhouse) and AL Central teams like the Tigers, Royals and Guardians who all need more power,” Bowden wrote.
The Phillies have eyed a Schwarber extension for awhile now, but the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement. Schwarber is only adding to his market value this season, as he has 17 home runs and is hitting for average, with a .253 mark. He also has a .963 OPS and 165 OPS+. In fact, Schwarber leads the National League in home runs as of this writing.
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Kyle Schwarber's interest in Braves could depend on Marcell Ozuna
Leaving the Phillies for the rival Braves would be cold blooded, but it wouldn't be the first time. Money talks, and if Atlanta feels as though they need to make that kind of improvement to their lineup, specifically in the power department, then there is little stopping them. However, their pursuit of Schwarber comes down to one player currently on their roster in Marcell Ozuna.
Ozuna is also a free agent this coming winter. The former All-Star and Silver Slugger is off to a slower start than Schwarber, but can get hot quickly. The Braves will ultimately choose whether or not they want to re-sign Ozuna (likely to a less expensive deal than Schwarber) despite his off-field concerns, or if they want to take a run at another top-tier bat. The Braves lineup has been a problem so far this season, a far cry from the 2023 campaign when they hit 310 home runs.
Schwarber to the Braves makes all the sense in the world, but only if Alex Anthopoulous prefers to open his wallet and move on from a player he signed in Ozuna.