It's the common narrative, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth repeating.
The Cincinnati Reds are the one MLB team that can offer free agent slugger Kyle Schwarber a place close to home.
Schwarber is from Middletown, Ohio, less than an hour from Cincinnati. He was a multi-sport star there.
The Reds are one of the teams believed to be trying to lure Schwarber from his most recent team, the Philadelphia Phillies. Schwarber hit 187 home runs in four seasons in Philly, including 56 in 2025.
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Cincinnati even had Schwarber catch a couple ceremonial first pitches as a visiting player this season, one from his dad and another from his youth baseball coach.
The Reds clearly could use the thump in their lineup. And the best card they can play is the hometown one.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand recently wrote an article linking one free agent to each of the 30 MLB teams. He lined Schwarber up with the Reds.
"Schwarber hails from nearby Middletown, Ohio, and while free agents don’t tend to base their decisions on a desire to return home, it’s the one thing the Reds can offer that no other team can," Feinsand writes. "Cincinnati needs a big bat, and while it remains to be seen whether the Reds will be willing to spend what it’s going to take to land Schwarber, the fit is perfect."
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Will the lure of home be enough? That's for Schwarber to answer.
Cincinnati's best hope is that the answer is yes.
The Reds may not be the richest or biggest club. But they've got a solid core. Adding Schwarber could go a long way toward a big few seasons ahead.
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