The Philadelphia Phillies have a tall task at hand, as they prepare to make a World Series run without Zack Wheeler and with Trea Turner fresh off the injured list. Fortunately, the rest of the roster is up to snuff and should be capable of winning it all.
One of the main reasons why the Phillies are viewed as top contenders in 2025 is due to the slugging of Kyle Schwarber, the team's DH. He's emerged as an MVP candidate, as he has a career-high in home runs and OPS in his fourth year in Philadelphia.
But, he's slated to be a free agent at the end of the year, and with how great he's played, it won't be a cheap deal. Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report predicts that the Phillies will re-sign Schwarber, but it'll come at a near-record-setting price tag.
Phillies predicted to re-sign Kyle Schwarber to massive deal this winter
While Schwarber is most likely going to see a contract in the $25-$30 million per-year range across 3-4 years, he could see a bigger, longer deal on the table as well.
Earlier in the month, ESPN shared predictions from 20 MLB insiders on what they think Schwarber could get. Two (of the 20) insiders predicted Schwarber would land a deal of at least $200 million. That'd be a record-setting deal for a DH, especially one at his age.
But, with how great he's been, there's reason to believe that such a deal is a possibility, albeit a small one. However, such a deal is the one Beaston predicts the Phillies will make to keep Schwarber: "Philadelphia retains Schwarber on a huge, potentially near-record deal."
Of the Phillies' hitters this season, none has been more impressive than Schwarber. Not only is he the team leader in home runs and RBIs, but he also leads the NL in both categories, and is the league leader in RBIs with 132.
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He has 145 hits, 110 runs scored, 56 homers, 132 RBIs, a .246 batting average, a .370 OBP, a .576 slugging percentage, and a team-leading and career-high .946 OPS.
Re-signing Schwarber should be a huge priority for the Phillies this offseason, as his presence at the top of the lineup is one that the Phillies would sorely miss if he departed this winter.
Even if keeping him comes at the price tag that Beaston predicts (potentially around $200 million over six years), it'd still be worth it for the Phillies. Nick Castellanos's $20 million 2026 salary could be on the move, and Taijuan Walker is also about to come off the books.
Losing a core player like Schwarber would be a tough blow for any team, and if the Phillies wound up losing him in free agency, it'd be a nightmare for the front office. Even if the Phillies win the World Series, their fan base would be irate if Schwarber left this winter.
Beaston's prediction might be a little overzealous, but if Schwarber continues to hit as well as he has into the postseason, leading the team to a World Series title, then the contract he'll sign could end up reaching at least $200 million. It's not a likely outcome, but it's at least something to monitor depending on how Schwarber finishes out the 2025 season.
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