Despite 20 games separating them in the win-loss column, the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals share commonalities. First and foremost, they both reside in the National League East. Second, they've each employed two-time MVP Bryce Harper and 2016 World Series champion Kyle Schwarber, with both currently representing the City of Brotherly Love.
However, as the Nationals learned when the Phillies poached Harper from them in 2019, all good things eventually come to an end. There was an expiration date on his time in D.C., literally. His contract ran out, with the two sides failing to come to terms on an extension. Paradoxically, the two teams meeting in Washington is a reminder that Schwarber and Philadelphia could find themselves in a similar situation this offseason.
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Nationals-Phillies matchup spotlights Kyle Schwarber's looming free agency
Schwarber is enjoying a career-best campaign and is slated for free agency this upcoming winter. He's also always been known as a clubhouse leader, reliable power hitter and proven playoff performer. So, despite age (turning 33 next season) and defensive concerns, there will be several suitors vying for his services with nine-figure offers.
Rewind to 2021, the Nationals had faced a near-identical situation. Schwarber was set to hit the open market after settling for a one-year "prove it" deal and successfully betting on himself. But unlike the Phillies, Washington was nowhere near contention, so they traded the slugger to the Boston Red Sox.
Instead of letting Schwarber test the waters months later and risk losing him for nothing, the Nats chose to recoup some value. That's where their story and Philly's differ; they willingly opted out of the Schwarbs business while the Phillies may just get outbid. Recent intel from C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic suggests the three-time All-Star has begun thinking about the possibility of donning a different uniform.
Kyle Schwarber's wandering eyes could have sights on hometown Reds
As a Middletown, Ohio native, Schwarber grew up as a Cincinnati Reds fan. He was roughly 40 miles away from their Great American Ball Park. Based on his comments to Rosecrans, the idea of joining the club he once rooted for presents a tempting opportunity to come full circle ($).
"I've always said that at some point in your career, if you would ask the childhood Kyle what team you'd like to play for, it would be [the Reds],” Schwarber said via Rosecrans. "I think those are natural thoughts, that it would be appealing. But you never know what happens in free agency. Going through it a couple of times now, it’s an interesting scenario."