Phillies get good news on potential Kyle Schwarber free agent market

Matt Sullivan

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Phillies get good news on potential Kyle Schwarber free agent market image

For the Philadelphia Phillies, there are multiple players hitting the open market after the 2025 season. Ranger Suarez, JT Realmuto, and most importantly, Kyle Schwarber are all free agents after 2025.

While keeping all three doesn't seem likely or realistic for the Phillies, they could decide to keep two, with Realmuto (due to the scarcity of the catcher position) and Schwarber as the most likely options.

Nearly all of Philadelphia wants Schwarber to stay with the Phillies, and according to Buster Olney and Paul Hembekides of ESPN, the Phillies might have an easier time keeping him than initially thought.

Schwarber Might Not Have as Strong a Free Agent Market as Expected

The Phillies will face some competition for Schwarber in free agency, with the Cincinnati Reds, Schwarber's hometown team, likely putting together one of the more compelling offers in the offseason. But, as Olney and Hembekides describe, the market might not be as strong for Schwarber due to how great he's played this season.

"I mentioned to you (Hembekides) the feedback I've been getting from front offices," Olney said, "different people predicting the numbers for me, it's like 90 to 120 (million). $30 million a year for a DH, which is really big money."

That range, of $90 to $120 million total for Schwarber's upcoming deal, isn't nearly as much as many have speculated. He's 32 years old and is a designated hitter only. Teams, as Olney points out, aren't willing to go too much higher than $30 million per year.

In the post on Twitter/X from Hembekides, which shared this clip, his final written line is prevalent for the Phillies. "Schwarbs is brilliant," Hembekides writes, "but teams aren't dying to shell out massive deals to DHs in their thirties."

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A good example of this practice being put into play is the Rafael Devers trade. There were some general managers and front office personnel who lauded the Boston Red Sox for trading Devers, since paying a designated hitter so much money is an overpay.

While the Giants have struggled since the Devers deal, they now aren't too far behind the New York Mets for the final wild card spot. He's also been one of their best hitters since the trade.

For the Phillies, if teams are scared off from Schwarber due to his contract likely being above $30 million per year, as Hembekides and Olney report, then it's great news for the Phillies.

Less competition will only increase the likelihood that they can keep Schwarber. With how the rest of the team is structured, the Phillies can more than make a $30 million per year deal work for Schwarber, especially after 2026, once Nick Castellano's contract comes off the books.

It's a very encouraging report for the Phillies, as the chance to bring back a core player of their team, who leads the NL in home runs with 49 and MLB in RBIs with 119, seems to be well within reason, due to teams being scared of the huge deal Schwarber will get in the offseason.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.