Kyle Schwarber being in his final year under contract and playing as well as he is has Philadelphia Phillies fans, the organization and even players like Bryce Harper wondering where the designated hitter's future lies. Harper made it abundantly clear that he'd like that future to be with the Phillies, and wants that taken care of sooner rather than later.
“I was talking to somebody the other day,” Harper told MLB.com last week. “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. Obviously, he’s going to make a lot of money [as a free agent]. He’s going to be a very hot commodity on the market. He’s a guy that hits homers. He’s a great clubhouse guy and a leader. I hope he doesn’t get [to free agency]. He’s a guy that we can use for the next few years.”
Harper lists every reason he wants Schwarber extended. From his leadership, to his presence in the community, to his ability on the field, Harper believes the slugger is a player the Phillies can build around. Frankly, he isn't wrong.
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Bryce Harper puts pressure on the Phillies to get Kyle Schwarber extension done
I get the drawbacks. Schwarber is a 32-year-old who strikes out a ton, is a negative asset defensively and doesn't run well. Giving that player what will surely be a hefty extension doesn't sound great on paper. What Schwarber does do well, though, makes him worth the investment and then some.
Schwarber rakes. There isn't anything else to add to that. He is a prolific power hitter who is having yet another huge year: He enters Monday's action slashing .269/.404/.593 with a league-leading 14 home runs and 32 RBI in 40 games played. He might not always hit for a high average, but he draws a ton of walks and, of course, hits a ton of home runs.
Schwarber leads National League hitters and trails only Aaron Judge with 145 home runs hit since signing with the Phillies ahead of the 2022 campaign. He's averaged over 43 home runs annually in his first three years in Philadelphia, and is on pace to shatter that mark this season. It might be nice for Schwarber to be more of a well-rounded player than he is, but adding his power to his elite on-base ability, the Phillies have a player they simply cannot afford to lose.
Chances are, a Schwarber extension will not age well. There's reason to believe he'll start to decline sooner rather than later. Still, the Phillies are in their win-now window. Their odds of winning plummet if Schwarber, a player who happens to have a .906 career OPS in the postseason, were to land elsewhere.
Nobody has more pull in this Phillies organization than Harper. All Phillies fans can do now is hope he has enough pull to get what should be a no-brainer finalized.