The coolest possible Kyle Schwarber narrative this winter would be a homecoming.
Schwarber is from Middletown, Ohio, less than an hour from Cincinnati. The Reds would be an awesome free agent landing spot.
Could Cincy pull it off? It might be exactly the type of deal the Reds need to go from a team that just snuck into the playoffs to a team that can actually make noise in the postseason.
It won't be cheap, but it's within reason.
ESPN's Kiley McDaniel projects Schwarber to get a four-year, $128 million contract this offseason.
MORE: Cubs' weird decision turned Shota Imanaga into an unexpected free agent
The Reds could likely afford to go just a bit above that to bring in a hometown kid who slugged 56 home runs in 2025.
Schwarber is DH-only at this point, but his bat is well worth the price of admission.
The Reds have been making their pitch for a while to Schwarber. When the Phillies visited Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati had Schwarber's dad and youth baseball coach each throw out a ceremonial first pitch that Schwarber caught as a visiting player.
This will be Schwarber's last chance at a big contract, so it makes sense that he'd want to maximize both his value and the chances of winning.
Other winning teams will be involved in these negotiations, including the Phillies trying to bring the slugger back.
The Reds are the only team that can offer being close to home, though. And if that combines with an open checkbook to get the deal done, it'll be a huge boost to Cincinnati's chances the next few seasons.
More MLB news:
- A massive contract projection for Kyle Tucker
- Shane Bieber shocked baseball with his $16 million contract decision
- Alex Bregman hoping free agent decision pays off