The Philadelphia Phillies have four big free agent decisions to make this winter. While Ranger Saurez and Harrison Bader look like players heading elsewhere, the same can't be said for the other two top names.
Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto are both hitting free agency, but the Phillies want to bring both back. Plenty of other teams will be interested, but their free agencies will be the most important for the Phillies this winter.
According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies' odds of retaining both are decent, as a consensus from industry insiders has the Phillies keeping both Realmuto and Schwarber.
The Phillies' chances of keeping JT Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber are decent
"The industry expectation is that both (Schwarber and Realmuto) will re-sign with the Phillies." Gelb writes. "But, until they do or don't, it is hard to know how everything else fits into place."
Being able to keep both the starting designated hitter, who's coming off a 56-home run season, and the starting catcher that's been a stalwart for the team would be huge.
Losing either Realmuto or Schwarber would be a massive loss for the Phillies. With a pseudo window of contention through 2027, needing to find a power bat to replace Schwarber and a catcher to replace Realmuto would be a rough scenario for the Phillies.
Dave Dombrowski has expressed his intent to retain Schwarber and Realmuto, and while this report from Gelb is some good news for the Phillies' chances of keeping both, until they sign, there will be concern that both could depart.
More: Phillies linked to Pete Alonso as a Kyle Schwarber replacement
The 2026 and 2027 seasons might be the Phillies' last chances of fielding a World Series-contending team, and having to build a roster without Schwarber or Realmuto might prove too difficult.
Realmuto has a great rapport with the pitching staff, and Schwarber is the heart and soul of the lineup in recent years. Both are fan favorites, and if either were to depart, there would be backlash from the fanbase.
After back-to-back seasons dropping out of the World Series hunt in the NLDS, despite having a contending team, the Phillies need to go deeper in 2026. Losing either free agent would be a huge blow that could have the Phillies' status as contenders in doubt.
The Phillies need Schwarber and Realmuto, and fortunately, according to Gelb's report, their odds of keeping both look to be decent. Time will tell if they can retain both, but at the start of free agency, their odds look decent.
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