Before the season, I was adamant that the Philadelphia Phillies should extend Kyle Schwarber. After all, why not?
Schwarber, 32, is one of baseball’s best power hitters. He thrives in the leadoff role against right-handed pitchers. He can get on base. He’s a veteran leader. He’s in a place where he thrives and is with a hitting coach in Kevin Long who unleashed him with the Washington Nationals.
Yet with Schwarber a free agent after the 2025 season, he has not been extended. There’s no evidence of extension talks happening either. And that feels like a mistake.
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Are the Phillies making a mistake with Kyle Schwarber?
In 25 games this season, Schwarber’s hitting .258/.411/.528 with seven home runs and 16 RBI with a .939 OPS. In four seasons in Philadelphia, he’s played in at least 150 games in every season. He hit between 38 and 47 homers in each season. He’s been everything and more that the Phillies could have hoped for when he was signed to a four-year, $79 million contract.
It’s not even like Schwarber would break the bank in free agency. He very well could be looking at a deal similar to Teoscar Hernandez’s three-year, $66 million contract from this past offseason. Perhaps they could have gotten him for less than that, considering how open Schwarber is about his love for Philadelphia.
What's the most likely outcome between Phillies and Kyle Schwarber?
Negotiating in-season is always possible, but it comes with complications. Teams and players typically don’t do it because it can be a distraction for the player on the field. So while it’s not impossible that Schwarber and the Phillies could engage in the middle of the season, it’s extremely unlikely.
Which means the most likely scenario is that Schwarber reaches free agency, where many teams figure to be involved in the bidding. He’s every contending teams’ dream player and there figures to be front offices convinced that Schwarber can put them over the top.
A return to Philadelphia should not be discounted. But the Phillies could have gotten ahead of this in the spring – and by not doing so, may cost them a chance at a few more seasons of Schwarbombs at Citizens Bank Park.