The Cincinnati Reds addressed one of their biggest needs on Wednesday night after signing reliever Emilio Pagán to a two-year, $20 million contract. With the back of the bullpen now under lock and key, the Reds can turn their attention to the lineup and perhaps land one of the biggest bats available in free agency — Kyle Schwarber.
The offseason whispers of a Schwarber homecoming have become much louder of late, with even industry sources and baseball insiders all suggesting that the the Reds have a real chance to bring Schwarber back to the Cincinnati area.
Former New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips, now an analyst for MLB Network, recently appeared on air with Lauren Shehadi and gave his two cents about Schwarber’s free agency. During the conversation, Phillips mentioned something that few others have, and it could be the key to the Reds getting a deal across the finish line.
If the Reds offer Kyle Schwarber a five-year deal, it could be enough to bring him home
“I think it’s going to come down to who’s willing to give him the extra year,” Phillips told Shehadi. “He’s going to play at 33 (years old) next season. So, nobody wants to go more than four years. He’s going to want the fifth year and somebody’s going to have to do it. I think this is the time and place for the Cincinnati Reds.”
“This is the time and place for the Cincinnati Reds.”@StevePhillipsGM explains why he thinks Kyle Schwarber is the perfect free agent fit for the Reds. #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/ZwW7Rgy5NK
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 3, 2025
“If it takes the fifth year, give it to him,” Phillips continued. “You’re never going to be in a better position than this time and moment and this place to have a window to win. Everybody would love to have the young starting pitching that they have in Cincinnati right now. Affordable starting pitching. They’ve got a superstar in Elly De La Cruz, but they need the aircraft carrier. They need that big bat.”
Phillips laid it out perfectly. If the Reds are willing to offer Schwarber a five-year deal while everyone else is offering him four, it might be enough to get him to sign on the dotted line. Obviously, Cincinnati would still have offer a significant amount of money, but adding that extra year should lower the average annual value (AAV).
Yahoo! Sports predicted Schwarber could land a four-year deal worth $128 million. MLB Trade Rumors projected him to sign a four-year, $135 million deal. Bleacher Report might be more in line with what the Reds could offer, predicting a five-year, $132 million contract offer. That comes out to an average of $26.4 million per season compared to the $32 million-plus AAV from the other outlets.
The Reds were willing to pay an aging Joey Votto $25 million per season from 2019-2023. Votto was 34 years old when that escalator kicked in and 40 when he walked off the field for the final time. There’s no reason to think the Reds couldn’t do the same with Schwarber. It is quite the gamble, but might be the key to bringing in the big bat that this team desperately needs.