Ranking Kyle Schwarber free-agent suitors by their ability to act quickly

This offseason won't include a record-breaking free agent signing in the Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto vein, but there are still several difference-makers up for grabs. The latest reporting reveals that Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, the projected NL MVP runner-up, might just be the first big piece taken off the board.

According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, Schwarber could land his next contract early on in the free agent process. With GM Meetings underway and the Winter Meetings not far off, there is palpable buzz surrounding the 32-year-old DH, who finished this past season with 56 home runs, 132 RBI and a .928 OPS.

Schwarber is in a unique bucket as a free agent. There generally isn't a ton of interest in dolling out six-figure salaries for non-fielders in their mid-30s, but Schwarber's bat is so undeniable — not to mention his leadership skills and a strong postseason track record — that he could command a serious five- or six-year contract. His offensive impact alone could sway the outcome of a team's season.

If Schwarber is set to sign quickly, however, that will hand certain clubs the advantage. Let's rank all the rumored Schwarber landing spots by how quickly the team is prepared to act.

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8. Chicago Cubs

Schwarber won a World Series on the North Side, so there are bound to be warm feelings here. But the simple truth is that the Chicago Cubs figure to spend the early portion of the offseason in the thick of Kyle Tucker negotiations. Nobody expects Tucker to re-sign, but the Cubs need to put forth the effort and stretch their budget as far as possible for pivoting to secondary options, such as Schwarber.

It's also worth noting that Chicago really needs to focus on the pitching market after declining Shōta Imanaga's mutual option. Matthew Boyd, Justin Steele and Cade Horton is a solid starting point for a postseason rotation, but the Cubs need another ace to solidify their standing in the competitive NL Central. That probably takes priority over Schwarber.

7. Seattle Mariners

The idea of Schwarber hitting behind Cal Raleigh (or vice versa) is awfully appealing, and the Seattle Mariners will be on the lookout for power as Eugenio Suárez hits free agency. While Seattle shouldn't hesitate to pivot away from Suárez in favor of Schwarber, it's fair to wonder if the M's might get bogged down by their laundry list of impactful free agent bats.

Re-signing Josh Naylor needs to be a priority. Seattle can also ill-afford to let Jorge Polanco walk without a fight — or at least not without a solid backup plan. If the Mariners get too deep in the weeds of those two, with a combined 46 home runs between them last season, Schwarber could be off the board by the time Seattle is prepared to negotiate in full.

6. San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres figure to focus more on the trade market than the free agent market given ownership's dire financial situation. AJ Preller has never shied away from a bold pursuit and he's under a lot of pressure to deliver a winner in the final year of his contract, but Schwarber's eventual contract number will probably fall outside of San Diego's price range. That alone could give the Padres pause, especially if the bidding war sparks quickly and the numbers exit Preller's comfort zone.

Key internal free agents, such as Dylan Cease, Michael King, Robert Suárez and Ryan O'Hearn, certainly won't aid a quick pursuit either. The Padres are going to hit next year. That's not really a concern. Top of mind for Preller is fixing that pitching staff, which puts the Padres at a disadvantage in the Schwarber sweepstakes.

5. Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are commonly propped up as the favorites to steal Schwaber away from the Phillies, so absolutely expect Craig Breslow to come out swinging. But, it's worth noting the other priorities on his plate.

Breslow has spoken at length about Boston's desire to add another frontline ace behind Garrett Crochet in the rotation. Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Joe Ryan. Those top-tier trade targets require significant time at the negotiating table. The Red Sox also need to find a first baseman, which Schwarber is not (at this point in his career, at least). Factor in Alex Bregman's free agency and a potential Jarren Duran trade, and Breslow is getting pulled in a lot of different directions right now. That's not the say he can't come through with a massive offer for Schwarber, but the Red Sox front office is juggling a lot.

4. Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves feel like a sneaky threat here. Phillies fans are bound to gag at the mere thought of it, but Atlanta remains an extremely appealing destination, despite the turbulence of the last couple years. The Braves are mostly waiting on better injury luck, but Alex Anthopoulos has never been under more pressure to rock the boat.

It's not exactly Anthopoulos' style to pay sticker price for a guy like Schwarber, but the DH spot is wide open with Marcell Ozuna's departure. Atlanta needs to figure something out with Sean Murphy, but that can be done once Schwarber is already on board. The Braves certainly aren't favorites, but do not count them out. Atlanta famously offered Aaron Nola more money than Philly; don't count on Schwarber taking a similar hometown discount if it comes to that.

3. Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are an outlier here — not exactly a huge market or an established contender, despite their late-season Wild Card push. But Cincy has the talent (and the coaching) to take a quick leap, especially as Elly De La Cruz teases us with his MVP upside. Schwarber also happens to be From Here, which has led to speculation that he might consider a hometown discount to play for the team he grew up rooting for.

If the Reds have an inside track due to Schwarber's personal connection to the city — his dad literally threw out the first pitch in a game at Great American Ballpark this season — there's not much stopping them. Cincy doesn't figure to pursue other big-ticket free agents or really even trade candidates, so GM Brad Meador can make Schwarber his No. 1 priority from the jump.

2. New York Mets

Lest we forget, the New York Mets paid Juan Soto $765 million last offseason. Steve Cohen is the richest owner in MLB and if he puts his mind to signing Schwarber, the Phillies are probably s**t out of luck. It's unclear if the Mets are actually that interested in an aging DH — it's not really David Stearns' style as a GM — but the deck is cleared for New York to pour all its resources into a Schwarber pursuit.

The Mets front office has other tasks on its plate, such as adding to the rotation or re-signing Edwin Díaz, but nothing that should get in the way of plugging Schwarber in at DH and weakening their foremost division rival in the process. The only real potential hold-up is Juan Soto's rapid decline on defense. If Schwarber signs for five-plus years, that's five-plus years that Soto has to remain in right field, no matter the results.

1. Philadelphia Phillies

There's a ton on Dave Dombrowski's plate this offseason, no doubt about it. JT Realmuto and Ranger Suárez are also free agents. The Phillies could be in the market for a big-time outfielder, like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. But at the end of the day, nobody is better positioned to sign Schwarber than the team, the clubhouse, the coaches he already knows.

Philadelphia could absolutely look at alternatives in the DH slot, such as Pete Alonso or Munetaka Murakami, but that only comes about if or when Schwarber signs the dotted line elsewhere. Until then, he is the absolute top priority for a Phillies team that really can't afford to lose his pop in the heart of the lineup.