“The Phillies are making Kyle Schwarber a top priority,” the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports.
“’I doubt [baseball president Dave Dombrowski] lets him leave,’ one rival said. The Red Sox, who also love him, make sense, as might his original Cubs,” Heyman adds.
Growing List Of Suitors
Chicago is an interesting addition to the list of suitors, since the Cubs also face the possibility of losing outfielder Kyle Tucker, who is generally regarded as the top player on the open market.
However Schwarber could generate just as much interest after leading the National League with a career-high 56 home runs this season. The 32-year-old also led the majors with 132 RBIs.
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The Athletic’s Jim Bowden says the Phillies, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers as the best fits for Schwarber, with a price tag of five years and $160 million.
“Every team except the Dodgers and Yankees should want him to be its DH,” Bowden adds. “Although the Phillies will make every effort to re-sign him, it will be fascinating to see what offers Schwarber gets on the open market for his special power bat and ability to mentor younger players.”
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand believes Schwarber’s potential fits are the Phillies, Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds.
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How Much Is Too Much?
Last month, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale predicted Schwarber, a three-time All-Star, “should command a four-year deal in excess of $120 million.”
In terms of numbers, Feinsand was in the same ballpark as Nightengale.
“Among those we spoke to, the consensus is that Schwarber should land a deal of four or five years for at least $30 million per season,” Feinsand reported.
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ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel polled 20 scouts, executives and agents to get a sense of Schwarber’s value in free agency.
“The average of all 20 projections is 4.3 years, $131.8 million, for a $30.7 million average annual value (AAV),” McDaniel reported. “The median projection of those deals is $119 million.”
Schwarber spent part of the 2021 season in Boston as a midseason acquisition and helped the Red Sox reach the American League Championship Series.
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An 11-year-veteran, Schwarber helped the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 World Series.
