The Philadelphia Phillies have yet to sign a free agent this offseason, with their eyes primarily set on bringing back their own guys. The Phillies have a few names to potentially re-sign, but Kyle Schwarber is the biggest prize to bring back for not only the lineup, but the organization as a whole.
Schwarber and his agent have it on their minds to get the most money possible, leading to the biggest payday of his career at 33 years old. The Cincinnati Reds are a destination that keeps coming up for the designated hitter.
Schwarber is from Middletown, Ohio, and with the Reds pushing for an elongated playoff window, it gives the landing spot some credence. The longer the offseason goes on, the more of a reality the Reds become, but that could fade over time.
Reds can't beat Phillies for Kyle Schwarber if it comes down to money
Ken Rosenthal from The Athletic says the Reds will be a big player in the Schwarber sweepstakes (subscription required), but he believes that Philadelphia will still end up prevailing when it comes to the sticker price. Signing as big of a free agent as Schwarber will take serious financial commitment, something that Philadelphia can offer more than many clubs.
“To the Reds, it’s all rather tantalizing," Rosenthal notes. "Schwarber, as much as he loves playing for the Phillies, probably is intrigued, too. But in free agency, sentiment rarely carries the day. Money matters most, and it’s difficult to foresee the Reds coming up with enough.”
Plugging Schwarber into any lineup would make them immediately better. It's also what makes Schwarber's market hard to gauge. The career-high 56 home runs he hit this past season would play in any ballpark in MLB, but the Phillies have seen what the last four seasons have done for them.
The Reds seem like they want to offer Schwarber a massive deal, but their payroll restrictions will limit how deep their pockets can really go. The Phillies, on the other hand, will continue to hold a top payroll in baseball and will match any deal the Reds are willing to throw out. The Reds would most likely need a hometown discount to win Schwarber over, but free agency is not the place where discounts win players over.
Schwarber may still prefer his hometown team over other clubs. He'll have the freedom to choose wherever he'd like to go, but Philadelphia has made a real impact on him with the history that's been made since 2022. The Phillies have the love for Schwarber and the money to back it up. Perhaps the reunion is inevitable after all.