Kyle Schwarber has been a crucial contributor to the Philadelphia Phillies’ success since joining as a free agency in 2022. Since the start of the 2022 season, only Aaron Judge has hit more home runs than Schwarber, and the 32-year-old’s.495 slugging percentage is sixth among leadoff hitters with at least 500 at-bats.
That presence at the top of the order is why the Phillies’ offense ranked fifth in baseball with 4.84 runs per game last season and tenth with 4.91 runs per game during the first two weeks of this season. However, the Phillies have struggled to place a price tag on Schwarber’s worth as contract negotiations stopped during Spring Training.
At this stage in the season, Schwarber is making the Phillies regret their decision, and if his production continues, Philadelphia may have to pay a higher asking price or accept his departure at the end of the season.
Kyle Schwarber is making the Phillies pay for shelving contract talks.
Schwarber has spent the most of his tenure with the Phillies as their leadoff hitter. However, manager Rob Thomson opted to change things up by putting Trea Turner at the top of the lineup and shifting Schwarber to the cleanup spot early this season. While the move has yielded significant results, it has also reawakened Schwarber, who is hitting.293/.420/.732 with five home runs and 11 RBI in the first eleven games.
This would be fantastic news under normal conditions. But it comes at an inopportune moment for the Phillies, as Schwarber enters the final year of his deal. The 32-year-old has done everything right as he seeks another big-money contract, including getting time at first base during Spring Training, but The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that he declined an extension because he likes to work year-to-year.
“Phillies offered him an extension during the offseason, but after an initial proposal, talks failed to advance,” Rosenthal claimed. “Schwarber was content to go year to year after declining an extension with the Cubs early in his career. And, while he’d like to stay in Philadelphia, he’s also satisfied to finish out his free agent year.”
Putting up Babe Ruth stats is one method to get money. While Schwarber has defensive limitations, there is a market for excellent designated hitters, as Joc Pederson agreed to a two-year, $37 million contract with the Texas Rangers last summer. If Schwarber can prove his worth on the field, he could easily clear that sum, possibly approaching Pete Alonso’s two-year, $54 million contract with the New York Mets.
Of all, Alonso is an everyday first baseman, and Schwarber’s contract might be around $18.5 to $27 million each season. However, after earning $19.75 million per year in a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies in 2022, Schwarber is about to cash in again, and Philadelphia may be kicking itself for not finalizing a deal sooner.
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