Philadelphia Phillies free agent Kyle Schwarber is one of the most sought-after position players on the free agent market.
Schwarber is coming off a 56-home-run season, the highest total of his career in a single season, along with 132 RBIs while hitting .240/.365/.563.
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He fell short of the National League MVP award, finishing second in voting, but his season was still incredible.
In an era of baseball that values slugging and plate discipline more than ever, Schwarber is going to get paid.
Schwarber’s season was valued at 4.7 bWAR, and it came at the perfect time, as he gets to cash in on his production and secure one last big-money deal. Considering his trajectory, another could follow if he signs a shorter-term deal
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According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Schwarber is getting interest from all corners of the league, including a notable rebuilding team — the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“The demand for Schwarber is high, which is no surprise considering he won’t get more than a five-year deal because of his age and positional inflexibility as a full-time designated hitter,” Passan wrote.
“Of course, when you hit like Schwarber, neither age nor position matters. Teams have made that abundantly clear, all the way from the obvious suitors (the Philadelphia Phillies are fiending to re-sign him) and the not-so-obvious (yes, Pittsburgh is in on Schwarber as well).
“Because of his production and leadership skills, Schwarber fits just about anywhere. The Boston Red Sox are still kicking themselves for letting him go after 2021. The New York Mets stealing him from Philadelphia would be a coup.
“The Toronto Blue Jays want a left-handed complement to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Cincinnati is 40 minutes south of where Schwarber grew up. The Detroit Tigers need some thump in their lineup. The contract offers are likely to bump Schwarber’s average annual value to more than $30 million a year, and the winning team won’t be getting a one-dimensional player.”
Schwarber does have some limitations, most notably his lack of defensive ability and his need to play in the DH spot. In the batter’s box, though, few players have better production. However, teams with a locked-in designated hitter won’t be able to fit in the three-time All-Star.
Still, as Passan outlined, the line for Schwarber will be long.
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