The idea of the Philadelphia Phillies retaining designated hitter Kyle Schwarber past 2025 is a no-brainer. He has thrived since joining the Phillies and has become a true leader in the clubhouse in just his fourth year in Philadelphia. A projected price tag of $100 million for his next contract may seem high, but Schwarber has earned every bit of his upcoming payday.
It takes a lot for an athlete to get the recognition in the hostile market of Philadelphia, but Schwarber has delivered well beyond his initial four-year, $79 million deal signed back in 2022. He has gotten off to a hot start in 2025 and is looking to cash in on a new deal for next year and beyond. He's batting .263/.406/.571 with 28 RBIs and 26 runs scored, while his .977 OPS ranks as the sixth best in baseball. His 12 home runs also has him tied for the MLB lead entering action on Friday.
Kyle Schwarber's projected contract is a no-brainer for the Phillies, as long as they can get him signed before free agency
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the next contract heading Schwarber's way will be in the range of four years and $100 million, averaging out to $25 million per year. If you ask Phillies fans, that's more than fair for what Schwarber has given the Phillies. His pure power has been unmatched as he has hit the second most home runs since 2022 with 143, behind only Aaron Judge's 169.
The only thing getting in the way of him staying is the lack of a new deal, with the season already in May. Before the season would have been ideal for both sides to agree to an extension, given both parties were interested, but talks failed to advance. The Phillies still have a chance to extend him during the season, but is becoming more unlikely by the day.
If Schwarber becomes a free agent, who knows what the price tag could end up being. MLB has been notable for massive bidding wars, and given the state of recent massive contracts, teams won't be shy about shelling out the money for adding a proven slugger to their lineup. Schwarber stated he wants to remain a Phillie, but the Phillies have to pull the trigger because you can't assume he'll come back once his contract expires.
Not every Phillies star can stay every year, although the Phillies have been one of the few teams to hold on to the same core for multiple years. Schwarber shouldn't be one to let walk and the Phillies will have a really good deal on their hands if it can stay just at $100 million because it can get much more complicated bringing in 29 other teams into the mix.