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Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber

Kyle Schwarber has spent the summer turning Citizens Bank Park into his personal launch pad, and the baseball world is wondering just how far his 2025 season will take him. Not to mention how much money he will earn off it. 

And who Schwarber will earn that money from.

As Schwarber plays out the final season of his contract with the Philadelphia Phillies , he is putting up numbers that compare with anybody else around the league. And just how many home runs will he have by the time the dust settles? 

The Phillies’ left-handed slugger is firmly in the conversation for National League MVP, thanks to a blend of jaw-dropping power and a knack for delivering in big moments. Simply put, Schwarber has been one of the most feared hitters in Major League Baseball, blasting balls out at a pace that has fans refreshing the home run leaderboard on a nightly basis. The question isn’t whether he’ll crack 40 homers, it’s how much higher he can go , and whether he can push into rarefied 50-plus territory. 

But lately, the conversation around Schwarber hasn’t just been about the season he’s having. It’s also about what happens next . 

Former MLB Exec Believes Kyle Schwarber Could Command $300 Million Contract

Former Miami Marlins president David Samson recently stated on his “Nothing Personal” podcast that he believes Schwarber could shockingly command “close to $300 million” for his next contract. Perhaps even more shockingly, Samson said he believes that the Phillies will meet Schwarber’s asking price. 

“They are going to feel the pressure to keep the band together,” Samson said. 

While the co-hosts of “The Phillies Show” podcast may not agree with Samson’s overall total, due primarily to the length of the contract that the 32-year-old Schwarber will likely receive, the trio of Todd Zolecki, Ruben Amaro Jr. and Jim Salisbury did say the believe Schwarber will get an AAV in the $30-$35 million range. And while that is a signficant raise over his current four-year, $79 million deal, it is a raise that Schwarber’s bat alone might justify, and one that Zolecki said he believes the Phillies will pay. 

“I think there’s going to be a very good chance that he resigns,” Zolecki said. “I think the Phillies know they need to resign him. I think they have every incentive in the world to resign him. [Phillies managing partner and principal owner] John Middleton has said, ‘We don’t need any reminders on how valuable Kyle Schwarber is. We don’t need any incentive. We know how valuable is.’ Okay. So, that … makes it sound like you’re going to really make an honest effort to resign him.” 

But there is a wrinkle that could shift the entire narrative.  

ESPN’s Buster Olney Suggests Kyle Schwarber May Sign With Team Closer to Home

ESPN’s Buster Olney, in his weekly power rankings column , suggested that Schwarber may ultimately prefer to sign with a team other than the Phillies when he hits the open market. While Olney didn’t list specific destinations, he cited friends of Schwarber’s throughout the league who have suggested that the southwest Ohio native may want to join a team “closer to his Midwest roots.” 

The idea that Philadelphia’s most consistent source of power might be open to leaving has sent a ripple through the fan base. 

Schwarber has been a culture-setter since arriving in 2022, blending middle-of-the-order production with clubhouse presence . Losing him would mean more than replacing a bat — it would mean replacing an identity. And yet, the combination of a career year, a likely top finish in MVP voting, and a robust free-agent market could make this winter’s negotiations tricky. 

The Phillies have the resources to keep him, but they also have looming commitments to Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler, and others. If the bidding for Schwarber reaches the upper limits Samson and Zolecki discussed, Philadelphia will have to decide how far it’s willing to go — and whether it can match the allure of other suitors. 

For now, the focus remains on the MVP race and the home run chase, but the undercurrent is clear: every Schwarber blast this summer could be making it just a little harder — and more expensive — for the Phillies to keep him in red pinstripes. 

And if Olney’s hunch is right, it may not just be about the money. The question Phillies fans might not want to ask — but probably should — is whether Schwarber’s next big swing could come wearing another team’s uniform. 

Dave Benson is a veteran writer with over three decades of journalism experience covering sports primarily in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Dave is also a licensed English teacher and spent several years teaching at the middle school level. More about Dave Benson