The Philadelphia Phillies lost the NLDS to the Los Angeles Dodgers in one of the most brutal ways possible. But in the wake of the loss, the front office now has a lot of difficult decisions to make.
One of the most pressing decisions the front office will need to make is regarding designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. The left-handed hitting slugger had a career-high 56 home runs in 2025 and is now hitting the open market as one of the best hitters available.
There will be teams interested in stealing Schwarber from the Phillies, but according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, the front office in Philadelphia is going to do "whatever it takes" to re-sign Schwarber this winter.
Phillies expected to do 'whatever it takes' to re-sign Kyle Schwarber
Stark delved into plenty of issues the Phillies will need to address this winter, but his comments on the Schwarber free agency were revealing.
"Harper and Turner aren't going anywhere." Stark writes. "And there will be an all-out, do-whatever-it-takes push to bring Schwarber, who is an impending free agent, back."
Keeping Schwarber would be a good first step for the Phillies this offseason, as he's been a huge reason for the team's success in recent years. Even though he, along with Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, struggled in the playoffs, keeping Schwarber is a huge deal.
The 32-year-old slugger had a career year in Philadelphia and has become a fan favorite in the city. Even though he wasn't at his best in the playoffs, he was a huge reason for the Phillies winning the NL East and earning a first-round bye.
In a career-high 162 games, Schwarber had 145 hits and 111 runs scored, both career highs. He also had 23 doubles, two triples, 108 walks, and 10 stolen bases.
More: Kyle Schwarber gets emotional as free agency looms after Phillies’ NLDS heartbreak
But his most impressive feat was his MLB-best 132 RBIs and NL-leading 56 homers, both career highs. He hit .240 with a .928 OPS on the year with a 150 OPS+.
Schwarber was the Phillies' best hitter by far this season, and losing him would be a huge blow to the offense in 2026. The cost of keeping Schwarber, a full-time designated hitter, won't be cheap.
He signed a four-year $79 million deal in 2022, but will now be in line to sign a $100 million-plus deal this winter.
Even with such a high price tag, the Phillies are expected to do whatever it takes to re-sign Schwarber this offseason. Even if the Phillies face tough competition in free agency, Dave Dombrowski and the front office will do their best to re-sign the All-Star Game MVP.
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