Bryce Harper has been anything but shy about how badly he wants the Philadelphia Phillies to lock Kyle Schwarber up before the latter hits free agency this winter. And it's not just because he's been the primary engine of Philly's offense so far this year, with 18 homers and a 165 OPS+ across his first 54 games.
“I was talking to somebody the other day,” Harper told MLB.com earlier this month. “And I was like, ‘Man, it would be weird not to have [Schwarber] in our clubhouse.’ He’s such a good leader. He’s such a good person in the community. Great family, great person. I think he’s a guy that obviously our team can build around."
So you know that when Harper made an appearance on the Philadelphia Inquirer's "Phillies Extra" show on Thursday, he was going to once again carve out some time to sing the praises of one of his most beloved teammates. And sure enough, he didn't disappoint:
“I don’t see him playing anywhere else,” Harper said. “Obviously I don’t make those decisions. But as a team leader and a captain and everything else, he brings so much value to our team.”
So far, so good; you love to see a team's most important player putting a little good-natured heat on his own front office to keep an All-Star player around. But there's just one problem: Toward the end of Harper's ode to Schwarber, he accidentally let slip the reason why a reunion with the Phillies might not be as easy as he and Philly fans would like.
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Bryce Harper accidentally highlights why the Phillies might not be the highest bidder for Kyle Schwarber
“He really hogs that DH spot, though, I can tell you that,” Harper said toward the end of the interview.
Harper clearly meant it as a joke, a little excuse to rib a friend and teammate before saying that Schwarber's growth has "been so much fun to watch.” But you can bet that, when Dave Dombrowski sits down with Schwarber's camp to discuss a new deal, he'll say much the same thing — and he won't be kidding.
This is and has always been the rub with Schwarber. His bat has never been much in question; while he's unlocked a new level of production this season, he's always boasted elite power and an elite approach at the plate, getting on base and doing damage as much as just about any hitter in the league. But that bat requires some sacrifice: Schwarber is a liability in the outfield and on the bases, and whichever team hands him a new contract this offseason will be doing so knowing that their DH position is now permanently occupied for the foreseeable future.
For some rosters, that's a sacrifice well worth making. For the Phillies, though, it's a trickier conversation — not just because of Harper's presence but because of guys like Nick Castellanos and JT Realmuto who figure to need more and more DH at-bats as they age off of their respective positions. This is an older core, and with that reality comes the need to get some fresher legs in the field. But with Schwarber around, that's not an option; you better make sure that the hitters around him are all two-way players, or things could get messy.
None of which is to say that the Phillies won't or shouldn't bring Schwarber back. His bat is that good, and he clearly means the world to this clubhouse. If he can be had for only a three-year deal, that's good business. But he is an increasingly awkward fit for this particular team, and with rivals lurking that have no such flexibility concerns, this bidding war could get hairy.