The Philadelphia Phillies season ended in brutal fashion on Thursday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers walked off Game 4 of the National League Division Series on an error.
Now, the offseason begins for a Phillies team that has a lot of decisions to make ahead of 2026.
Maybe the most important one is the future of designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. If the Phillies don't resign the star slugger, the Seattle Mariners are one of the top candidates to land Schwarber.
Mariners Among Top Schwarber Candidates
Schwarber put together the best season of his 11-year MLB career, and did so at the perfect time, because now he's an unrestricted free agent.
Although Schwarber is a DH, he sheer power at the plate will land him a huge contract this offseason. If the Phillies don't pay up for their star slugger, the Mariners could be a team to swoop in and land Schwarber.
"The Mariners have shown a willingness to pay up for a prolific designated hitter in the past, as the four-year, $57 million deal they gave Nelson Cruz prior to the 2015 season was among the largest ever for a DH at the time," Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote. "Dominic Canzone emerged as an impact performer while playing primarily DH down the stretch, posting a 142 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 269 plate appearances, but he can also play a corner outfield spot."
Kyle Schwarber got emotional while talking about his upcoming free agency. pic.twitter.com/jhcnMSsBHH
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) October 10, 2025
The Mariners added to their lineup at the 2025 MLB trade deadline with third baseman Eugenio Suarez and first baseman Josh Naylor, but both guys are free agents this offseason.
Seattle could add that pop right back to the lineup with the addition of Schwarber. The Phillies slugger had a .928 OPS this season and led the MLB with 56 home runs and 132 RBI.
In addition, Mariners' second baseman Jorge Polanco is also a free agent after this season, so the Mariners have a quite a few moving parts.
Even if Seattle brings back any of those guys, the Mariner have learned over the last few years that they can never have enough offensive weapons. The addition of Schwarber would certainly add another dimension to Seattle's batting order.