The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the best teams in the National League for the last few seasons. They are loaded with superstars, but could find it expensive to keep them all around much longer.
Kyle Schwarber signed a four-year, $79 million deal with the Phillies in 2022. He has been one of the best power threats in baseball throughout the entirety of his deal, but will enter free agency after the season. ESPN's Jeff Passan predicts he will earn a $100 million deal when he hits the open market.
"A designated hitter who's going to be 33 next Opening Day getting a nine-figure deal? Schwarber is an outlier in so many other respects, so why not here, too? He is terminally productive," wrote Passan. "He is an exceptional clubhouse leader. Nobody would blink at giving him $25 million a year, and a four-year ask -- particularly in a class weak on high-end bats -- is eminently reasonable."
Schwarber has hit 142 home runs since joining the Phillies. He has a .840 OPS in 499 games with the team. He led the league in home runs in 2022 and is currently leading the league in home runs with 11.
His age is a concern when giving him that kind of contract, but he has continuously proven he can produce. At this point in his career, he is going to produce very little defensively. He has appeared in the outfield just eight times in the last two seasons.
Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp
A $100 million deal would make Schwarber the third-highest-paid designated hitter in the league. He has been a key player for the Phillies, so surely they will try to keep him around. However, he will be an expensive player to retain.
More MLB: Yankees could cut ties with Paul Goldschmidt in blockbuster deadline trade