Kyle Schwarber is in the running to become the National League MVP as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. At 33, he is playing the best baseball of his career. However, this success could turn into a nightmare for the Phillies, as the designated hitter is set to become a free agent once the season concludes.
Given his exceptional performance, it is projected that his next contract could be worth around $100 million. While his future remains uncertain, expectations are that his upcoming deal will feature plenty of zeros. Faced with this looming challenge, the Phillies appear ready to do whatever it takes to keep Schwarber in Philadelphia.
Schwarber’s numbers this 2025 season place him in the same conversation as stars like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, a rare feat in Major League Baseball.
He plays every day – literally all 139 of the Phillies’ games – and in late and close situations this year is OPSing 1.244, nearly 100 points higher than the next-best hitter, Ohtani.”… “Beyond that, Schwarber is regarded as the stickiest of glue guys, a font of knowledge whose interpersonal acuity makes him invaluable in a clubhouse.
Said Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Passan reported that Philadelphia is willing to move heaven and earth to retain Schwarber. He also noted that the player’s consistency has caught the attention of several other franchises eager to bring him into their lineup.
Because of all he brings, Schwarber is going to get paid.”… “Like, paid paid. Teams will scoff because of the age, the strikeouts, the positional inflexibility. But Schwarber’s total package will ultimately push some of them off such concerns and trigger a bidding war.
If he wants, he can get at least four years.”… “The salary, at that term, should be at least $30 million a year.
Given this context, the most logical scenario would be for Schwarber to remain in Philadelphia. However, if negotiations fail, other franchises will be more than ready to step in and offer a lucrative deal to lure him away from the Phillies.
And although remaining in Philadelphia makes the most sense, enough teams have holes at DH – looking at you, Texas, San Diego, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Cincinnati – that no amount of labor unrest will cause Schwarber’s market to dry up.
Passan added.
So far this season, Schwarber has a .243 batting average with 126 hits, 49 home runs, and 119 RBIs. These impressive statistics have made him the object of desire not only for the Phillies but also for several other teams, all with hopes of securing his powerful bat for the 2026 season.
Schwarber’s breakout season has established the Phillies as the best team in the National League, and they hope that momentum can carry them to the World Series and back into the championship race, as they did in the early 1990s.
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