The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings are here and at the center of the baseball universe for at least the next few days. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber is among the most coveted pure power bats this free agent class has to offer, and the anticipation of his signing grows with the inevitable thought of him also receiving a massive payday.
With the kind of player that Schwarber is, he's getting a lot of outside attention, especially hitting the free agent market after finishing as NL MVP runner-up. It was expected that Schwarber would take his time in deciding his next home, and that's exactly what he's done so far. The Philadelphia Phillies have confidence that they can re-sign their big slugger, but he's certainly making them sweat it out so far.
Contract talks between Phillies, Kyle Schwarber moving slowly with his market heating up at Winter Meetings
According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, Schwarber is a name that could be among the first big hitters to sign, possibly this week. Although it would be great to get some clarification on where Schwarber will land, there hasn't been a clear vision of him still coming back to Philadelphia. The two sides have generated little momentum in getting a deal anywhere close to finalized at this point.
“Schwarber could be the first to sign, though whether he returns to the Phillies remains to be seen,” Feinsand stated. “Talks between the two sides have been slow, sources said, though other clubs including the Mets, Red Sox, Orioles and Reds are also in the mix for the slugger.”
However, Jon Heyman also reported from the Winter Meetings on Monday that activity around Schwarber has been heating up.
"He seems to be the big news early on here," Heyman said of Schwarber. "He’s got so much interest and activity very early that I think something possibly could happen here…"
Hopefully that's good news for the Phillies and they've managed to get talks moving. If not, hearing that things are taking shape isn't great for Phillies fans.
Schwarber will be a huge addition wherever he ends up. His career-high 56 home runs in 2025 can easily transition into any ballpark and with the kind of leadership he brings, he'll always be a net positive in the clubhouse.
That's not to say that the Phillies are out of the race, but Schwarber is a much different hitter since he was picked up by the Phillies in 2022. What was once an "eye of the beholder" situation with his unique skill set has flourished into a top hitter in the sport at almost 33 years old.
Other clubs would love to bring in a masher like Schwarber. Clubs like the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets, or his hometown Cincinnati Reds could get themselves over the hump with that kind of signing. Even the Pittsburgh Pirates have thrown a four-year offer out there.
Make no mistake, the Phillies aren't blindsided by what is taking place now. They encouraged Schwarber to explore his options once they failed to extend him before the 2025 season. Even with things moving slowly right now, they still have the familiarity and the money if necessary to bring him back. MLB free agency also has the capability of catching fire with a slew of signings. Phillies fans just know that sometimes patience is key, but the Phillies also know that if they wait too long, they could end up empty-handed with trying to replace one of the faces of this era of Phillies' baseball.