6 best Phillies DH alternatives if Kyle Schwarber abandons them in free agency

The Philadelphia Phillies may have to deal with the unimaginable this offseason. There's a chance that Kyle Schwarber will sign with another team. The left fielder-turned-designated hitter just had an MVP-worthy regular season with an NL-best 56 home runs and MLB-leading 132 RBIs.

Statistics like that will be almost impossible to replace, but it could be a task that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is faced with this winter. While replacing Schwarber will be difficult, there are several options that Dombrowski and the Phillies can consider to be their new regular designated hitter or as a part of a rotation.

6 best designated hitter options for Phillies if Kyle Schwarber doesn't re-sign

No. 6: Sign free agent Adolis García

The Rangers non-tendered Adolis García on Nov. 21, making him a free agent. García won a Gold Glove Award in 2023 and posted a career-high 39 home runs and 107 RBIs that season. The right fielder was instrumental in the Texas Rangers' World Series playoff run, finishing with eight home runs, a postseason record 22 RBIs, and a 1.108 OPS.

García has regressed over the last two years, however. He batted .224/.284/.400 with only 25 home runs and 85 RBIs in 2024. The 32-year-old slashed .227/.271/.394 this season, finishing with an underwhelming 19 home runs and 75 RBIs in 135 games.

The Phillies could be an option for García to revive his career as their designated hitter and an option for manager Rob Thomson to use in right field. He'll be an affordable option that Philadelphia might be able to sign to a short-term contract of one or two years.

No. 5: Trade for Yandy Díaz

The Tampa Bay Rays aren't necessarily looking to trade Yandy Díaz, but other organizations have inquired about his availability over the last two years, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, who included Díaz in his rumored offseason trade candidates. The 34-year-old has played first and third base during his career but his defense is suspect, and teams may want to use him as their primary designated hitter, according to Feinsand.

Díaz hit .300/.366/.482 with an .848 OPS and a career-high 25 home runs and 83 RBIs in 150 games this year. He doesn't strike out much (14.4 percent) and gets on base at a well-above league-average rate. He could be the Phillies' primary designated hitter, if they don't trust his glove, or part of a rotation of players.

No. 4: Sign Japanese free agent Munetaka Murakami

Munetaka Murakami has a lot of pull power, which is how batters like him and Schwarber are successful hitting home runs. Murakami played in only 56 contests this year with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows but had 22 home runs, 47 RBIs, and a slash line of .273/.379/.663 with a 1.043 OPS. Murakami's max exit velocity in 2025 was 116.5 mph, which was the third-highest exit velocity among notable NPB players, according to MLB.com's David Adler.

A concern about Murakami's hitting that he will need to work on improving is his high strikeout rate. He had a 20.9 percent strikeout rate in 2022. However, it rose to 28.1 percent in 2023, and his 29.5 percent strikeout rate in 2024 was his highest since his 2019 strikeout rate of 31 percent. He finished with a 28.6 percent rate this season.

There are questions about Murakami's defense on the infield corners, but his power-hitting ability is undeniable, so a role as the Phillies' designated hitter might be a good fit.

No. 3: Sign Japanese free agent Kazuma Okamoto

Kazuma Okamoto is another phenom from Japan who will look to make a name for himself after being posted to MLB. The 29-year-old had a down year this season with the Yomiuri Giants with only 15 home runs and 51 RBIs but slashed .322/.411/.581 in 77 games. He previously had 41 home runs and 93 RBIs in 2023, followed by 27 homers and 83 RBIs in 2024.

There's no concern about Okamoto's strikeout rate. He posted an 18.8 percent strikeout rate in 2023, followed by 15.9 percent last year. His 11.3 percent strikeout rate in 2025 was the lowest of his eight years in NPB.

The Phillies could use Okamoto as their designated hitter, play him at first base when needed, or as their starting third baseman if Bohm is traded. While Murakami offers some upside long-term due to his younger age and slugging ability, Okamoto is more seasoned and a better fit for a club aiming to win the World Series.

No. 2: Sign free agent Cody Bellinger as part of DH rotation

Cody Bellinger is projected to sign a more affordable contract than Kyle Tucker, although Bellinger's numbers are comparable and he's more versatile defensively. Bellinger can play all three outfield positions and first base. The 30-year-old batted .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in 152 games this season with the New York Yankees.

While Bellinger has not been as dominant offensively as he was during his NL MVP-winning season in 2019, the 30-year-old would still be capable of being a key contributor as one of the Phillies' designated hitter options in place of Schwarber.

No. 1: Sign Pete Alonso to rotate DH/1B duties with Bryce Harper

Pete Alonso is the best available replacement for the Phillies to pursue if Schwarber doesn't re-sign. The 30-year-old Alonso finished with a .272/.347/.524 line, 38 home runs, and 126 RBIs in 162 games this season for the New York Mets. He's a right-handed hitter who has played every regular-season contest in back-to-back years. His .871 OPS was his highest since the .941 OPS he posted in his 2019 rookie year.

Even though it's a narrow path as a fit for Alonso, there's a way for the Phillies to make it work if Schwarber leaves. With Bryce Harper already at first base, and with no intentions of moving him back to the outfield, they could rotate him and Alonso between first and the designated hitter spot. Alonso has made strides defensively since earlier in his career, when he was considered a liability.