The Philadelphia Phillies are going to need to make a few huge moves in free agency this offseason if they want to get over the hump next year.
Their MVP candidate, Kyle Schwarber, is a free agent, and he could be looking for a massive contract. He finished second in the National League MVP voting, which should spike his value in free agency. Still, the Phillies need to do what they can to bring him back.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller recently predicted Schwarber would sign a huge five-year, $132 million deal to return to the Phillies this offseason.
“If the designated hitter extraordinaire does wind up leaving the City of Brotherly Love, a reunion with either the Cubs or Red Sox would make sense,” Miller wrote. “Cincinnati or Detroit could also be logical, if either of 2025’s No. 6 seeds is actually in the market for a nine-figure contract.
“But as was the case last winter with Pete Alonso and the Mets, it’s going to be kind of assumed Schwarber will return to Philadelphia until the moment he actually signs somewhere else. He will turn 33 before the 2026 season begins, but he only seems to be getting better with age. And if Xander Bogaerts could sign an 11-year contract after celebrating his 30th, maybe Schwarber could end up getting a six- or even seven-year deal.”
It’s seemingly unprecedented for a designated hitter to land a deal like the projected one, but it’s also unprecedented for a designated hitter to be a true MVP candidate.
Schwarber is the heartbeat of the Phillies, alongside Bryce Harper. Losing him would crush the team, but it would crush the fanbase even more. The slugger has been one of the biggest fan favorites in Philadelphia for years. The front office needs to pay him the money he deserves to keep him on the roster.
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