Phillies reportedly outbid Mets for $150M World Series champion power bat, Silver Slugger winner

Hunter Cookston

•
Phillies reportedly outbid Mets for $150M World Series champion power bat, Silver Slugger winner image

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

For the Philadelphia Phillies, the biggest win of the offseason was retaining Kyle Schwarber and preventing him from walking in free agency. During last season, Bryce Harper made it clear that not having Schwarber in the clubhouse in 2026 would feel odd.

“I was talking to somebody the other day,” Harper told MLB.com. “And I was like, ‘Man, it would be weird not to have [Schwarber] in our clubhouse.’ He’s such a good leader. He’s such a good person in the community. Great family, great person. I think he’s a guy that obviously our team can build around. Obviously, he’s going to make a lot of money [as a free agent]. He’s going to be a very hot commodity on the market.”

On Tuesday morning, the Phillies made sure that scenario wouldn’t happen, signing Schwarber to a five-year deal.

“A source told MLB.com on Tuesday morning that Schwarber and the Phillies have agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract. The team has not confirmed the move. It’s what everybody expected when free agency began last month, regardless of the number of teams reportedly interested in signing him,” Todd Zolecki of MLB.com wrote.

Several teams reportedly tried to lure Schwarber away. The New York Mets were among them, but their offer reportedly didn’t come close to matching the Phillies’ deal.

“Last night the Mets submitted an offer in the 3 year, $120 million range for Kyle Schwarber. It is unclear if this was their final offer,” MLB reporter Michael Marino wrote.

The Mets will need to address other roster needs, but their offer for Schwarber raises questions about how serious they were in trying to acquire him. The Phillies’ deal was far superior, and if there were whispers of negotiations, there’s no way the Mets would have matched it.

Now, the Mets will continue searching for a DH this winter or may pursue a strategy similar to what the Braves are considering. However, their lack of serious competition for Schwarber likely indicates they already anticipated missing out.

More MLB news:

Contributing writer

Staff Writer