It’s the kind of thing that’s easy to forget now.
But this past offseason, Kyle Schwarber had a decision to make. He was a free agent. He didn’t have to remain with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Schwarber had other suitors. Of course he did. He’s one of the most prolific power hitters of this era.
One of the teams that wanted him was the Cincinnati Reds. That’s the closest team to his hometown in southern Ohio. It would’ve been a homecoming.
The Reds pulled out all the stops that a smaller-market team can. They even had Schwarber involved in a ceremonial first pitch as a road player in Cincinnati last season that also involved his dad and his childhood coach. It was the kind of move that made it very clear that they hoped to sign Schwarber.
In the end, though, Schwarber didn’t choose the Reds. He didn’t choose any other team.
He came back to the Phillies, for whom he hit 45 home runs to tie for the National League lead.
If Philadelphia’s core of this era is going to get over the hump and win a World Series, it’ll be because Schwarber does magnificent things in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, his hometown-ish Reds sit at home, having missed the playoffs by a considerable distance.
It’s intriguing to wonder what could’ve been, but it’s too late now. Schwarber didn’t choose Cincinnati.
Why Didn’t Kyle Schwarber Sign With the Reds?
Schwarber chose the team he felt could be the most competitive around him, rather than just considering an individual contract offer.
A story from Spring Training in the Cincinnati Enquirer added insight into what may have stopped Schwarber from signing with the Reds.
This is what beat reporter Gordon Wittenmyer wrote at the time:
“A source with knowledge of the process said Schwarber ultimately expressed concern over the Reds making a large enough commitment to him that it would hamper the team’s effort to keep a competitive roster together long-term.”
That’s a fascinating nuance. It wasn’t just about the Reds’ ability to pay Schwarber what he deserved. It was about the Reds’ follow-up chances of growing the rest of the roster after committing heavy resources to Schwarber.
In the end, there’s no way to know what Cincinnati would’ve done after signing Schwarber, because it didn’t happen.
Reds Pivot Didn’t Work
The Reds needed a power hitter, and so once they missed out on Schwarber, they signed Eugenio Suarez for a return to Cincinnati.
Suarez still showed off his power, but he wasn’t a positive player overall, and he certainly was no Schwarber.
The Reds rarely have a free agent advantage like geography might’ve given them in the Schwarber sweepstakes, but even that wasn’t enough, and so Cincinnati goes into this new offseason having to consider what it might be able to do to improve a roster that would’ve looked a whole lot better with Schwarber on it.
Why Kyle Schwarber Didn’t Sign With Hometown Cincinnati Reds in Free Agency