The Philadelphia Phillies roster is so loaded with talent, that sometimes Kyle Schwarber gets forgotten — at least until he steps to the plate to lead off a game.
But even though Schwarber’s contributions as a designated hitter may go overlooked by some, there are many teams that would love to add the perennial 35-homer, .800+ OPS bat to their lineup.
That’s why ESPN insider Jeff Passan had Schwarber’s name on the list of potential nine-figure contracts that will get paid out this upcoming offseason, even though the veteran is 32 years old and about to reach free agency for the third time in his big-league career.
Schwarber has fit like a glove at the top of the Phillies’ lineup since signing a four-year, $79 million contract before the 2022 season. He was an all-star in 2022 and won a Silver Slugger award and has mashed at least 38 homers in each of his three seasons with the Phils.
Schwarber is off to another torrid start, with an OPS just short of 1.00 (.999) and nearly as many walks (28) as strikeouts (33). He also shares the major-league lead with Aaron Judge (12) as of May 7.
Rivals Lining Up to Sign
The Phillies already are on the hook for six nine-figure contracts, led by Bryce Harper’s 13-year, $330 million contract and pitcher Zack Wheeler’s team-high $42 million annual-average value.
So even though he has helped the Phillies reach the playoffs every year, and break a 13-year World Series drought in 2022, signing Schwarber could be too rich for the team’s blood.
Passan made sure to note that it would a almost-33-year-old signing a $100-plus-million contract would fly in the face of common sense. But he also laid out the case for Schwarber to get the largest contract of his career.
“Schwarber is an outlier in so many other respects, so why not here, too?” Passan wrote. “He is terminally productive. He is an exceptional clubhouse leader. Nobody would blink at giving him $25 million a year.”
Not only would teams line up to bring in a consistent left-handed, power-hitting DH, but rivals like the Mets or Braves would love to take from Philadelphia’s core. The Dodgers seem to be in on every marquee free agent these days, and the Yankees also could make Schwarber a fit, with their left-handed friendly short porch in right field.
The end of an era?
The Phillies have the fifth-most wins in the majors since they signed Schwarber in 2022 (594), but their core could drastically change after this year.
The Phillies only have nine players under contract for 2026, totaling more than $186 million in payroll according to Spotrac. Although they have young arbitration-eligible players under team control, like Brandon Marsh, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott, the Phillies could look much different next season.
Schwarber and All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto are both set to become free agents after the season, along with every-day left fielder Max Kepler.
If each leaves, it could sap the Phillies from their Nos. 1, 4 and 5 hitters in their lineup — though 2022 first-round pick and outfielder Justin Crawford and 2023 first-round pick and infielder Aidan Miller are two of the Phils’ top prospects, and each expects to join the big-league club in 2026, according to MLB Pipeline.
The Phillies have the fourth-highest payroll in baseball and are likely to exceed the luxury-tax threshold for the fourth straight year — resulting in a luxury-tax bill of more than $43 million.
They could opt to let Schwarber, Realmuto and Kepler walk in free agency and reset their tax penalty for one year and trust their prospects to fill in the cracks.
ESPN Insider Predicts Massive Contract for Phillies Slugger