The Philadelphia Phillies should have signed veteran slugger Kyle Schwarber to a contract extension last offseason, but they didn’t, and he’s now an MVP candidate with a chance to slug 50 home runs. His price in free agency has certainly gone up, leaving the Phillies in a tough spot in terms of re-signing him.

With Schwarber’s free agency bound to be wide open, FanSided’s MLB insider Robert Murray recently suggested he could sign with the loaded Boston Red Sox. This idea would completely shake up the future of the American League East.

“This is a fit that I’ve eyed for the longest time, and truthfully, it shouldn’t have even gotten to this point. The Phillies should have extended Schwarber before the season,” Murray wrote. “The team wanted him in Philadelphia; he wanted to stay with the Phillies. The interest was certainly mutual. Instead, Schwarber was not extended and will be a free agent after the season – and considering his production this year, with 49 home runs and 120 RBI, he’s going to cash in and have many suitors involved in his market.

“Which will only make it tougher for the Phillies to re-sign Schwarber. There’s a shot he returns, for sure. But the team that makes a ton of sense for Schwarber is the Boston Red Sox. Schwarber, of course, was previously with Boston. He thrived at Fenway Park. His teammates loved him. He was, in every sense, the perfect acquisition for the Red Sox.”

Sep 6, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) looks back after getting hit by a pitch in the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Red Sox could transform themselves into one of the best lineups in baseball if they can re-sign Bregman and still have enough money to land a slugger like Schwarber.

A signing like this would put a lot of pressure on the other teams in the AL East. The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays are practically dead even with the Red Sox right now, so if Boston makes a move like this, the other teams will need to match it or risk being left behind.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles are already a few steps behind Boston, so if the Red Sox are making big moves in the offseason, these two teams are at risk of being left behind, too.

At the end of the day, if the Red Sox make a huge addition like this, the other teams in the division need to match it.

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