Kyle Schwarber Says Reds Were Not 'Pulling Chains' During Free Agency Pitch

After weeks of free agency talks and a visit to Great American Ball Park, Kyle Schwarber is staying put with the Philadelphia Phillies, but he made it clear that the Cincinnati Reds gave it their best shot to bring him home to Ohio.

Schwarber Praises the Reds’ Effort

Schwarber spoke to the media on Wednesday and had nothing but good things to say about his meeting with the Reds, who were hoping to sign the Middletown, Ohio native.

“I was impressed,” Schwarber said via Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. “Me and [my wife] Paige went down to Cincinnati, and we were able to sit down and have that conversation with them and hear them out. I would say that they were not pulling chains, and that they were wanting to try to get me to Cincinnati. There are things that you have to cover your bases and every aspect of it. We had those conversations, and I appreciate every conversation I had with every team.”

The Reds hosted Schwarber and his wife at Great American Ball Park during Thanksgiving week, where he met with owner Bob Castellini, president of baseball operations Nick Krall, general manager Brad Meador, manager Terry Francona, and hitting coach Chris Valaika.

The Contract Gap

While Schwarber ultimately signed a five-year, $150 million deal to return to the Phillies, the Reds’ offer fell short.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Cincinnati offered five years and around $125 million with room to grow, which was $25 million less than what Philadelphia put on the table.

The Orioles reportedly matched the Phillies’ offer as well.

Schwarber was a perfect fit for a Reds team that needed a big bat in the middle of their lineup.

In 2025, the left-handed slugger led the National League with 56 home runs while also leading all of baseball with 132 RBIs.

He finished second in NL MVP voting after playing all 162 games for the Phillies, who went 96-66 and won the NL East before falling to the Dodgers in the NLDS.

The Reds went 83-79 and squeezed into the playoffs as a Wild Card team before being swept by the Dodgers.

Adding Schwarber behind All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who hit .264 with 22 homers and 86 RBIs in 2025, would have given Cincinnati one of the most exciting middle-of-the-order combos in baseball.

Where Do the Reds Go From Here?

Now that Schwarber is off the board, the Reds are in a tough spot.

According to Rosenthal, Cincinnati is not expected to go after other big-ticket free agents like Pete Alonso or Cody Bellinger since the Schwarber offer was tied to the belief that his hometown connection would help drive ticket sales.

“We’re still working through the trade market, the free-agent market and seeing who’s out there that best fits us,” Krall said. “Maybe it’s a couple. Maybe it’s one. Our budget is in a similar spot as it was last year, and we’re still working through all we can do with different things.”

The Reds have been looking into trade options and reportedly held discussions with the Rays about second baseman Brandon Lowe.

While Cincinnati’s front office showed they were willing to be creative and spend for the right player, they will now have to find another way to boost an offense that ranked 21st in home runs and 19th in OPS during the 2025 season.

For Schwarber, the decision came down to staying with a team where he has made the playoffs in all four of his seasons and built a strong connection with the fan base.

But even though the Reds came up short, Schwarber made it clear that their effort was real and that he took their pitch seriously.

Kyle Schwarber Says Reds Were Not ‘Pulling Chains’ During Free Agency Pitch

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