Rumors have swirled regarding a Kyle Schwarber extension with the Philadelphia Phillies since the offseason, but talks haven't gone anywhere. Since the season began, Schwarber's high level of play has only given the Phillies more of a reason to get a deal done — and now, with The Athletic's ($) Jim Bowden linking the Atlanta Braves as a potential suitor, they should be as eager as ever to get the veteran to sign on the dotted line.
“Schwarber is arguably the best teammate in the game, reaches base at a 39 percent clip and is always in the hunt for the home run crown," Bowden wrote.
"He’s a player most teams will covet if they have an opening or flexibility at the DH spot. The Phillies want to retain Schwarber and are prepared to give him a long-term contract at the appropriate time. However, several other teams would love to have him, including the Braves (if they lose Marcell Ozuna in free agency), Reds (who could use his power and leadership), Padres (he’d be a great fit in their clubhouse) and AL Central teams like the Tigers, Royals and Guardians who all need more power,”
AL Central teams in the picture might not be much of a reason for the Phillies to rush to get something done with Schwarber, but the Braves lurking absolutely should give them the push they need. The one thing the Phillies can ill afford is losing Schwarber, especially to an NL East rival.
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Phillies cannot let Kyle Schwarber end up in Atlanta
I get why the Phillies might not be super interested in rushing into a deal with Schwarber. He's 32 years old, cannot play the field and doesn't run well; the odds of his game aging well are probably slim. With that being said, he is an unbelievable hitter currently having his best season. The Phillies ought to do their best to avoid having him test free agency, especially if the Braves of all teams are going to attempt to steal him away.
Schwarber is slashing .257/.390/.583 with a league-leading 17 home runs and 37 RBI this season. He might not end the season hitting around .260 like he is now, but Schwarber gets on base a ton by drawing walks and has monstrous power. He has averaged 43 home runs and 104 RBI in his three seasons with the Phillies despite primarily hitting lead-off.
Ozuna is a great hitter, but he's two years older than Schwarber and doesn't have quite as much power. The Braves replacing him with Schwarber would not only make the Phillies worse, but would make Atlanta better.
Given how important Schwarber is to the Phillies, they should be eager to get an extension done right now. The Braves element should only add to their urgency. Hopefully, Dave Dombrowski and Co. find a way to get a deal done to eliminate any threat of Schwarber ditching Philadelphia for its arch-rivals.