The Philadelphia Phillies will face a tough decision this offseason when it comes to Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber will be a free agent, and he made some comments about his thought process.
Schwarber's free agency could be heavily impacted by Pete Alonso. Alonso struggled to find a long-term deal and settled for a deal with the Mets that included an opt-out after the season. Schwarber and Alonso are both aging sluggers who rely heavily on the power stroke. Schwarber responded to a question from The Inquirer about how he thinks Alonso's free agency will impact his.
"Good question," Schwarber told The Inquirer’s baseball show. "I feel like I live on a daily basis, just like trying to get through the day and go from there. But this is where I feel like I’ve truly gotten to be myself and be the player I’m able to be.
"I feel like there’s still a better version in the tank. I’m going to keep trying to make adjustments on a yearly basis. Hopefully, those adjustments keep getting me better and better and better to where it’s kind of flipping the script. With age comes a decline, right? I want it to be the opposite way for me."
Schwarber, 32, is older than Alonso, so if Alonso opts out, they will both be on the market. Teams may prefer Alonso since he is slightly younger. Schwarber did not get too specific, but he did note that he enjoys playing in Philadelphia.
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Schwarber is a two-time All-Star and has hit 145 home runs in a Phillies uniform. He is currently leading baseball with 14 home runs, showing that his age does not seem to be affecting him. Schwarber is practically a full-time designated hitter at this stage in his career, which could affect his market.
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