If I were the general manager of a baseball team (spoiler: I’m not), one of the first players that I’d want on my team is Kyle Schwarber.
His story is part of what makes baseball great. He was a heralded prospect with the Chicago Cubs, performed well early in Chicago but was ultimately non-tendered. Since then, he’s been with the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, all the while emerging as one of the premier power hitters in baseball. He’s regarded as a great clubhouse presence. He’s everything that a franchise should want in a player and leader.
And I expect Schwarber to be rewarded as such in the offseason.
I was vocal that the Phillies should have been aggressive in extending Schwarber before the regular season. No deal was ever reached, of course, and now there should be no shortage of teams gunning for his services. But just because Philadelphia hasn’t re-signed Schwarber yet doesn’t mean he won’t return in the offseason.
In May, Phillies star Bryce Harper made it clear that he wants Schwarber in Philly long-term, telling MLB.com: “Man, it would be so weird not having [Schwarber] in the 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. He’s going to be a very hot commodity on the market. … I hope he doesn’t get [to free agency]. He’s a guy that we can use for the next few years.”
Harper, of course, is not wrong. In four seasons with the Phillies, Schwarber is hitting .227/.350/.506 with 173 home runs and 400 RBI. He’s hit at least 38 homers in each season, with his 42 already this year putting him well on pace to beat his previous best of 47 back in 2023.
That bat will draw plenty of other suitors, though, and this bidding war could get heated in a market that will lack many other impact bats outside of Schwarber and Kyle Tucker. So which other teams would make sense for Schwarber?
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Who should be considered the early favorite in the Kyle Schwarber sweepstakes?
Start with the Boston Red Sox, who traded for Schwarber in 2021 and make tremendous sense for the left-handed slugger. His swing at Fenway Park would be a thing of beauty. The team should have plenty of money available after trading Rafael Devers early this season and by signing future star Roman Anthony to an early extension.
But almost every contending team makes sense for Schwarber. Imagine him in the Bronx. Imagine him in Milwaukee or back at Wrigley. Imagine him in San Francisco, where he’d be the best power hitter the team has had since Barry Bonds. He could put virtually every contending team over the top and make them serious World Series threats.
Besides, it’s not like we’re talking about a contract that will break the bank. His most recent deal – a four-year, $79 million contract – aged beautifully for Philadelphia. His annual average value will surely exceed that on his next contract, but it won’t be a deal with eight or more years to it. In all likelihood, this will be a three- or four-year contract.
A player who was non-tendered turning into a 500+ home run, Hall of Fame-caliber player is one of the greatest storylines in recent baseball history. He’ll get rewarded as such for it in the offseason and could ultimately be the most coveted free-agent-to-be.