ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JULY 15: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after winning the Most Valuable Player of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Kyle Schwarber has immense power. Immense.
The Philadelphia Phillies primary designated hitter, Schwarber has turned many a game with one swing of his mighty bat.
The left-handed hitting Schwarber, 32, has played parts of 11 seasons as a major league player.
This year was Schwarber’s best.
And now, Schwarber has entered free agency.
Schwarber, a very popular player with his teammates, may easily command a salary of at least $30M per year.
The length of his contract may be the only remaining issue.
Will Schwarber still have light tower power at the age of 36? How about at age 37?
Is there a team willing to pay him $30M a year for five years?
That team should be the Phillies.
They need Schwarber in their lineup.
Hitting primarily from the two-hole in the Phillies batting order, the team’s offense isn’t really littered with stars.
The Phillies 2025 lineup was deftly balanced between right, and left-handed hitters.
Without question, the duo of Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper were the main threats to the opposition.
It is very difficult to pitch around Schwarber, with Harper waiting on deck.
Harper doesn’t have quite the same home run potential as Schwarber. But make no mistake, Bryce Harper is very, very dangerous.
Harper without Schwarber would be like a peanut butter sandwich without jelly. It doesn’t work.
Schwarber benefited by having Harper hitting behind him.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 28: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on August 28, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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Phillies Free Agents:
Phillies President of Baseball Operations, David Dombrowski, is challenged with having to navigate a roster that includes several free agents. They include:
Kyle Schwarber-DH
J.T. Realmuto-C
Ranger Suarez-LHSP
David Robertson-RHRP
Max Kepler-OF
Jordan Romano-RHRP
Of those six players, Schwarber has to be the team’s highest priority for retention.
Quite simply, how could the Phillies make up for the loss of Schwarber’s 56 home runs, 143 runs scored, 131 RBIs, and his tremendous team leadership?
It would be almost impossible to recover from losing Schwarber.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber pauses in the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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About Kyle Schwarber:
Schwarber is 5-11, 229 pounds, and wicked strong.
The Chicago Cubs drafted Schwarber out of Indiana University in 2014.
Known by scouts for his power potential, Schwarber was the No. 4 player taken in the draft.
The Cubs gave Schwarber a $3,125,000 signing bonus.
When Schwarber was drafted, Baseball America gave Schwarber a scouting grade of 65.
That grade equates to a player with several above-average tools, and the capability of making multiple All Star teams.
Schwarber has done just that.
Schwarber was an All Star in 2021, 2022, and again this year.
Schwarber won a Silver Slugger Award with the Cubs in 2017.
Schwarber played in 69 games for the Cubs in the 2015 season. He hit 16 homers in 273 plate appearances.
Schwarber’s debut showed his power was real.
This old scout got good looks of Schwarber in the 2016 Arizona Fall League, when Schwarber played six games for Mesa.
Schwarber was 23-years old at the time, and his power was obvious.
Schwarber became a free agent in 2020, and he signed with the Washington Nationals.
In July of his first year with Washington, the Nationals traded Schwarber to the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Aldo Ramirez.
Oops.
In November that year, Schwarber again became a free agent, and he signed with the Phillies, where he has flourished since.
Once Schwarber gets a head of steam, he can run enough to steal bases, or take an extra base.
Known more as a game-changing slugger, Schwarber is best deployed as a designated hitter, as opposed to serving as a defender.
To this old scout, the Philadelphia Phillies may not be in their position today without the heroics of Kyle Schwarber.
This year, the Dodgers Shohei Ohtani won the National League Silver Slugger designated hitter Award. Schwarber had 30 more RBI, and one more homer than Ohtani.
Now, the Phillies have a huge financial decision to make.
Will Philadelphia step up and retain Kyle Schwarber with a mammoth contract, or watch as he departs for another Major League Baseball team?
Excel Sports Management handles Kyle Schwarber’s contract negotiations.
It is likely they will be patient, as they arguably have the best free agent power hitter as a client.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/berniepleskoff/2025/11/20/30m-per-year-may-be-asking-price-for-phillies-kyle-schwarber/
