ORLANDO — The Phillies’ cohort will leave Disney World on Thursday with more clarity than when they arrived.
By signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million deal on Tuesday at the winter meetings, the Phillies now have a better sense of direction for the rest of their offseason.
“I feel a lot better leaving the meetings than I did coming into the meetings because we filled a big spot,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “And with that, we’ve been able to proceed forward.”
Schwarber was the first major domino to fall this free agency cycle. Pete Alonso followed on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with the Orioles, according to multiple outlets.
From his point of view, Schwarber felt like his free agency process was a “standard” length of time.
“I felt like I got all the information I needed to make a decision, and I wanted to be respectful of everyone,” he said. “That’s how I operate. I wanted to be respectful of the Phillies. I wanted to be respectful to the other teams I talked to. And I know that there’s a long road in the offseason, but also, too, I wanted to make sure that I had the time to decide.”
The Phillies are optimistic about bringing back J.T. Realmuto (left) after re-signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million contract.
While the process itself wasn’t rushed, Schwarber was in a rush to get his physical completed in Philadelphia after coming to an agreement. He and his wife Paige are expecting the birth of their daughter very soon.
And now, instead of worrying about contingency plans to fill a Schwarber-sized hole in the lineup, the Phillies can focus their attention on other areas of need.
One area they have already started to address is the bullpen. Dombrowski said this week that the Phillies have five spots in the bullpen that are solidified — lefties José Alvarado, Matt Strahm, and Tanner Banks, and righties Jhoan Duran and Orion Kerkering — but there could be competition for the final three spots.
The Phillies added some potential relief depth on Wednesday with a trade for right-hander Yoniel Curet from the Rays in exchange for minor league pitcher Tommy McCollum. In 2024, Curet was Tampa Bay’s No. 18 prospect by MLB Pipeline, but he dealt with a shoulder injury in 2025 that limited him to 55⅓ innings.
He was designated for assignment by the Rays earlier this week, but the Phillies were intrigued by his fastball.
They also were intrigued by Marlins right-hander Zach McCambley and selected him in Wednesday’s Rule 5 draft.
“It’s a pretty much a heavy cutter/slider attack with a good fastball that sits 94 up to 96 [mph],” said Phillies director of professional scouting Mike Ondo. “The guy throws strikes, and he’s really, really tough on right-handed hitters. And I think that was one of the big appeals for us.”
McCambley has experience as a starter and a reliever, and the Phillies liked his versatility.
There are other, bigger priorities still being worked on behind the scenes, and at the top of the list is catcher. Fresh off his own re-signing, Schwarber has joined the recruiting effort for J.T. Realmuto.
“I’d be lying that I didn’t send a text to J.T. trying to see where he’s at and try to coax him,” he said.
Reshaping the outfield also is a priority. Dombrowski reiterated this week the Phillies’ desire to find a “change of scenery” for Nick Castellanos.
Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos will likely have a change of scenery in 2026.
“We’ve got work to do,” Dombrowski said of the outfield. “We’ve got a couple of options, with [Brandon] Marsh, and in this situation where we’ve talked about [Justin] Crawford, we’re going to give him that opportunity to make the club and we feel good about it. [Johan] Rojas is out there. We claimed [former Astro Pedro] León on waivers. We’ve got [Otto] Kemp that can go out there and play. …
“We’ve got work to do, is what it comes down to, and we continue to try to make things happen.”
Even with the areas that seem mostly set, there could be changes. Starting pitching wasn’t a big focus for the Phillies last winter, but they still traded for Jesús Luzardo, viewing it as an opportunity to improve. Dombrowski said they are staying “open-minded” this year, too.
But it sure helps that the first item on the to-do list is checked off.
“It’s given us then parameters on where we can go forward with different things and what we need to address,” Dombrowski said. “ … I feel very good in adding Schwarbs, because we know what he can be, and it’s one big need we do not have anymore.”
ORLANDO — Any day now, Kyle Schwarber’s wife, Paige, will go into labor with their third child.
First, though, there was a contract to sign.
So, after reaching a five-year, $150 million agreement with the Phillies late Monday night, Schwarber hopped a flight early Tuesday to Philadelphia to take a physical and finalize the deal. By lunchtime Wednesday, he was back home in Ohio.
“I’m happy they were able to accommodate that, get me up there and get me back,” Schwarber said on a Zoom call. “So now, whenever our little girl comes into the world, I will be here.”
Indeed, the week has been a whirlwind for Schwarber, and it’s only getting started. But between signing the largest contract ever for a designated hitter and racing home ahead of the baby, Schwarber found time to deliver a recruiting pitch to a good friend.
“I’d be lying that I didn’t send a text to J.T. [Realmuto],” Schwarber said, “trying to see where he’s at and try to coax him.”
If Schwarber was Priority No. 1 for the Phillies, Realmuto is 1-B. While the rival Mets lost core pieces Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso in free agency on back-to-back days, the Phillies are proudly trying to bring back the band from 95- and 96-win teams that were a Tush Push — or maybe a youth infusion from Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, and, eventually, Aidan Miller — away from getting over the top.
Schwarber said he’s “trying to be respectful” of Realmuto’s free-agent process. And surely he can relate.
In finding his way back to the Phillies, Schwarber cited the “respect” he received during his 37-day free agency from the organization that helped him evolve into one of the most prodigious sluggers in the sport.
Because as much as Schwarber wanted to stay with the Phillies, he also welcomed the chance to explore his market before the biggest payday of his career.
Schwarber had been a free agent before. Twice, actually. But the first time came in 2020, with his value at its nadir after the Cubs didn’t tender him a contract. A year later, the owners locked out the players and shut down the sport for 99 days. When the stoppage ended, the Phillies signed Schwarber for four years and $79 million, among the best free-agent deals in franchise history.
This time, Schwarber hit the market with the force of a 56-homer season — and 187 home runs over four years, tied with Shohei Ohtani for second among all hitters and trailing only Aaron Judge.
Few names were more prominent on the free-agent menu.
“When you reach free agency, you want that opportunity to go out and listen and make sure all your bases are covered,” Schwarber said. “You want to hear all different types of information and make sure that you’re making a really great, informed decision. I appreciate the whole process and don’t take it lightly.”
The Phillies gave Schwarber space to hear pitches from the Orioles, Pirates, and his hometown Reds, among other teams, with the understanding that he would circle back to them when he began receiving offers.
But they didn’t send him into the free-agent wilds without making clear what he meant to them.
The owner even made a house call.
First, Schwarber had what he described as a “really, really good conversation” with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski a few days after the divisional series loss to the Dodgers. Then, before he and Paige packed up their two sons and returned to Ohio, John Middleton knocked on the door of their South Jersey home.
Phillies owner John Middleton made it clear to Kyle Schwarber that he wanted to re-sign him.
“We were able to spend a really good amount of time just sitting down and talking about the Phillies and his family and talking about what’s the future looking like for us here,” Schwarber said. “Those were conversations that I just never forgot, right?
“Like, you start having different conversations with different teams, and just because those conversations were fresh, it doesn’t mean that anything was forgotten. That was an important time and important conversations that Dave and Mr. Middleton, that we had.
“Trust me, I took notes. Once I had everything all said and done, you can look at everything and know that John is committed to winning and wants our organization to continue to keep pushing for a world championship. What else is there for a player to ask for, you know?”
The Phillies sent Realmuto into free agency with a similar message. The veteran catcher, who will be 35 next season, is weighing multiple offers, a source said Wednesday, the final day of the winter meetings at the Signia by Hilton. It’s unknown whether any of the offers are for more than two years. MLB.com reported that the Phillies have made a bid.
After re-signing Schwarber, the Phillies can focus on remaking the outfield, filling out the bullpen, and adding overall pitching depth. With 2026 payroll commitments totaling approximately $286 million, as calculated for the luxury tax, some of those pursuits may involve clearing payroll space by trading, say, Alec Bohm or Matt Strahm.
But Realmuto could be their next domino to drop. And Schwarber hopes the catcher will follow the path that led back to the corner of Pattison and Darien.
“Selfishly, I think that we would all love to have J.T. back,” Schwarber said. “Because we know what he brings to the table and how important he is to, not just our clubhouse but what he means to Philadelphia. … He should be highly sought-after, and I’m hoping that, at the end of the day, he’s back in Philadelphia.”
Sure, they could’ve gone in another direction, especially as Schwarber began getting offers this week. The Pirates — yes, you read that right — made a four-year, $120 million whopper, a league source said Tuesday. The Orioles and Reds offered five years, The Athletic reported, with Baltimore willing to go to $150 million.
And as the market took off for a 33-year-old designated hitter, the Phillies could’ve tapped out.
But if you’ve paid attention, you know the Phillies believe Schwarber is unrivaled, as a slugger and certainly a leader. Dave Dombrowski said all along that Schwarber, not younger free agents such as Cody Bellinger or Pete Alonso, was the priority. Hitting coach Kevin Long emerged from organizational meetings in October and told The Inquirer’s Phillies Extra podcast that losing Schwarber would be “devastating.”
Even owner John Middleton said this about Schwarber in July: “We love him. We want to keep him.”
Middleton doesn’t usually get outbid for players he wants, least of all by the Pirates. Or the Orioles. Or even by Schwarber’s hometown Reds. And so it was, before lunch Tuesday, that the Phillies made the most predictable news at the winter meetings.
Kyle Schwarber hit a career-high 56 homers for the Phillies this year.
“I had a pretty good idea that was going to be the route,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Talking to Dave throughout the season, he knew that [Schwarber] was a huge part of what they were trying to accomplish and moving forward. So, not surprised that it’s with them.”
The agreement was pending a physical and wasn’t announced by the Phillies until Tuesday night. But sources said the team’s confidence in Schwarber’s ability to stay productive through his mid-30s stems from his consistent bat speed. He’s also a more complete hitter now than when he signed a four-year, $79 million deal with the Phillies in 2022, one year removed from being non-tendered by the Cubs.
Team officials have likened Schwarber to David Ortiz, who hit more than half his 541 homers after turning 32 and played through age 40. Schwarber’s contract will run through his age-37 season.
“He’s so different than most of the guys I’ve ever been around because he’s a great player, one, and he knows how to bring the heartbeat of the clubhouse down when things are going rough,” manager Rob Thomson said. “And not only the clubhouse but individuals as well. He’s just a huge part of our ballclub.”
Lest anyone forget, it’s a club that won 96 games this year — and 95 the year before. The Phillies are tied with the Dodgers for the most wins in baseball over the last two seasons. But the Dodgers also won back-to-back World Series and made news Tuesday by signing star closer Edwin Díaz.
So, while the Phillies did what was necessary to bring back Schwarber, and extended Thomson’s contract through 2027, and remained optimistic about re-signing J.T. Realmuto, the perception, at least in Philly, is that they’re merely bringing back the band.
And given the players’ ages and contract terms, the band might start looking like the Rolling Stones in a few years.
But if the goal is to stretch the competitive window and take as many whacks as possible at the World Series, rival club officials surveyed in the lobby of the Signia by Hilton and baseball observers/insiders believe the Phillies are right to not make sweeping changes.
The Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber (right) on Tuesday. Is J.T. Realmuto next?
“Getting there is really hard to do, and improving in the season each year is really hard to do,” former major league general manager Jim Duquette said. “What the Phillies have accomplished is really, really difficult. If I’m the Phillies, I would be very careful with how many adjustments you make with that team.”
The Braves kept most of their core together through their run of 11 consecutive division championships in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Former Atlanta general manager John Schuerholz famously believed in changing about 10% of the roster in the offseason during those years.
Including Schwarber’s deal, the Phillies have roughly $285 million in payroll commitments for 2026. They ended this year at about $312 million and expect to be in a similar range next year.
Even as they try to get Realmuto back behind the plate, the Phillies expect to make changes to other areas of the roster, notably the outfield. Touted rookie Justin Crawford is ticketed to be in the opening-day lineup, either in left field or center. Nick Castellanos will be traded or released. Top prospect Andrew Painter is almost sure to be in the season-opening rotation.
Dombrowski pushed back, then, on the idea that the Phillies are merely running it back, as if that would be a bad thing after 87-, 90-, 95-, and 96-win seasons and four playoff appearances in a row.
“I don’t think we ever just run it back. We’re not running our club back,” Dombrowski said, citing Crawford’s arrival and possibly an expanded role for Otto Kemp as examples of changes. “And when I say that, I’m not so sure where you win 96 games that you should really look to have to do a lot of things differently.”
Said Thomson: “We won 96 games last year. It’s not like we’re not doing well. We’ve got a good club. No matter what happens, we’re still going to have a good club.
“Even if we sign both [Schwarber and Realmuto] back, there’s still going to be some changes. And there might be some change within the lineup as far as the order, which could infuse a little bit of energy.”
Bryce Harper batted behind Kyle Schwarber in 2025, but their order could switch next season.
More specifically, Thomson hinted at flipping Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the batting order.
Schwarber batted behind Harper for a month early in the season before the latter missed a month with an inflamed right wrist. When Harper returned, he batted third, with Schwarber cemented in the No. 2 spot. And while Harper faced a lower rate of pitches in the zone (43%) than any hitter in baseball, Schwarber hit a career-high 56 homers.
“Harper was protecting Schwarber,” Thomson said, “and Schwarber is having at that point a career year. I just didn’t want to mess with it.”
Upon further review, maybe it would be better the other way around?
“Yeah,” Thomson said. “I’ve got some ideas. But I haven’t talked to the players yet, so I don’t want to talk much more about that. But yeah, I’ve thought long and hard about it.”
Those are the changes Phillies officials believe could make the difference in a 96-win team getting knocked out in the divisional round and finally winning the World Series.
Moving on from Schwarber was nothing they ever cared to contemplate.
It’s the Schwarbomb Phillies fans had been waiting for.
Kyle Schwarber, the National League MVP runner-up and one of baseball’s top free agents, re-signed with the Phillies on Tuesday to the tune of $150 million over five years, The Inquirer’s Scott Lauber confirmed.
Since joining the team in 2022, Schwarber has hit 187 home runs, made three All-Star teams, and helped the Phillies to their first World Series appearance in over a decade. Now, fans are preparing for five more years of Schwarbombs at Citizens Bank Park.
Re-signing arguably the best performing Phillie over the last three years has sparked joy, especially after a brutal Eagles loss on Monday night. Following four interceptions from Jalen Hurts — and a third loss in a row — Philly fans have are thankful they no longer have to worry about losing Schwarber.
SCHWARBER IT WAS ALWAYS US!!! HE KNEW WHAT WE NEEDED AFTER THAT EAGLES GAME LAST NIGHT pic.twitter.com/RstLgJIWWR
As many teams vied for Schwarber’s hand in free agency, including some tempting exes like the Red Sox and other options like his hometown Cincinnati Reds, Philly fans were happy to learn that their town was the place Schwarber would give his rose.
On top of Schwarber’s recommitment, Edwin Diaz, a star closer for the New York Mets, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, causing a double celebration for Phillies fans.
How it feels watching Schwarber re-sign and Edwin Diaz leave my division at the same exact time pic.twitter.com/dANnsLqoek
There have been more mixed reactions regarding Schwarber’s deal from the media. The designated hitter will be 33 on opening day, and will be under contract until his age 37 season, along with Bryce Harper and Trea Turner.
“The Phillies paying Kyle Schwarber that much money for five years is a mistake,” 94 WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks posted on X. “Doubling down on an older core that has come up small in the playoffs is not the way to go.”
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are both under contract into their late 30s.
On the other hand, this “older core” has dominated the regular season in recent years — with Schwarber’s efforts leading the way in 2025.
“Bringing Schwarber back was always the right move,” former Eagles linebacker and current WIP host Ike Reese wrote in a tweet after the signing. Now he wants the team to turn its attention to catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Bringing Schwarber back was always the right move. JT is next, then fill in the holes where you can. Team won 96 games(2nd most in MLB) while dealing with injuries. #Phightins ⚾️
Even media members who are fans of opposing teams — including one where Schwarber once played — are impressed by the Phillies’ decision to re-sign the slugger, with Dave Dombrowski again being aggressive in his free agency approach.
The Red Sox didn’t splurge for Schwarber — would have ruined their plan to get a hitter in his 30s coming off a major injury on a one year 17m deal who they can waive in August.
Kyle Schwarber was going to finish his career in a Phillies uniform. They’d been saying it without saying it since October. On Tuesday, they said it explicitly.
It is a remarkable sum of money on many levels. But, then, Schwarber is a remarkable hitter on many levels. Only three players in major league history have hit more home runs in the first three years of their 30s. Aaron Judge is the only player who has done it since the height of the steroid era. Sammy Sosa and Jim Thome are the other two. Schwarber’s 141 home runs between 30 and 32 years old are nine more than Babe Ruth hit at the same age.
You can bet that Thome was on John Middleton’s mind when the Phillies owner signed off on his latest megabucks deal. Heading into his age-33 season, Schwarber is older than most free agents who sign contracts like his. But he is only one year older than Thome was when the latter signed his six-year, $85 million contract with the Phillies in December 2002.
That deal aged well. Thome remained one of the game’s elite power bats well into his late 30s. He averaged 28 home runs and 484 plate appearances per season between the ages of 34 and 38. That was a significant drop-off from the 45 and 651 he averaged between 29 and 33. But no matter. The Phillies will be thrilled to be paying Schwarber $30 million in 2030 dollars if they can pencil in 30 home runs from him at the age of 38.
Mostly, though, that fifth year is the cost of doing business. Schwarber’s elite-elite power would have meant a dramatic upgrade to virtually any lineup in the majors. There was a market for his services. And the Phillies would have been devastated to lose him.
Middleton surely will tell you that a deal like this is bigger than dollars and cents and on-field statistics.
The Phillies feel like they need Schwarber in the middle of their lineup, yes. That much is obvious. He has scored or driven in 21.7% of the 3,105 runs they’ve produced in the last four regular seasons. But the Phillies also feel they need Schwarber in the clubhouse and on the team charter and on the Wall of Fame when all is said and done. Certain players belong with certain franchises. The Phillies were willing to pay to cement that association.
They also were willing to bear the risk that Schwarber ages like so many sluggers who came before him. There really isn’t a recent comparable for giving a 33-year-old designated hitter a five-year, $150 million deal. Schwarber’s representation probably pointed to the six-year, $162 million contract Freddie Freeman signed with the Dodgers in 2022. Freeman was one year younger than Schwarber, and he plays the field.
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So, yes, there is plenty of risk. Over the last 15 years, only three players have had more than two seasons of 30-plus home runs between the ages of 33 and 37. Eight had two or more. That’s not exactly a bankable track record. In 2030, the Phillies will be paying a combined $115-plus million to 37-year-old Schwarber, 37-year-old Bryce Harper, 37-year-old Trea Turner, and 37-year-old Aaron Nola.
Free agent Pete Alonso is an impact bat that could transform the Phillies lineup.
There also is some risk on the front end. The Phillies have never shown a blatant disregard for luxury tax spending the way the Dodgers and Mets have. All indications are that they live in a world that has limits. Every dollar they pay to someone is a dollar less they can pay to someone else. In such a world, $30 million is a lot to commit each year to a player who is locked into the designated hitter position. If the Phillies intend to match their spending pattern of previous offseasons, they already are running out of disposable funds. Schwarber’s deal puts them at a projected $288 million in payroll commitments for 19 players.
If ever there was a time to go for broke, that time is now. While Schwarber may have been the biggest question of the offseason, nearly as big is the questions of where he hits and who hits behind him. The Phillies have been missing a third power bat in the middle of the order ever since Rhys Hoskins suffered a torn ACL in 2023 and then left via free agency.
In Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, there are a couple of marquee free-agent bats available who would push the Phillies lineup much closer to reaching its potential. Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernández is rumored to be available via trade, although at $22 million a year, he wouldn’t offer much of a discount on an annual basis over the top of the free-agent market.
In short, Schwarber was a given. Only something drastic and unforeseen would have prevented him from wearing red pinstripes in 2026 and beyond. Any judgment of the Phillies’ offseason will depend on what happens next.
Even before the designated hitter agreed to a five-year, $150 million extension with the Phillies, he had already committed to playing for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Schwarber joined Phillies teammates Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto on Team USA in 2023, winning a silver medal. He hit two home runs in five games.
On a team with four MVPs and 21 All-Stars in 2023, Schwarber stood out, according to USA manager and Penn alumnus Mark DeRosa.
“He was the chemistry guy for me, last time,” DeRosa said. “He was the guy. Listen, there’s nerves in there. I don’t care how good a player you are. When you walk in a room full of superstars, and then the eyes of the world are on you, there’s pressure to perform in front of the greats. He attacks it.
“He’s in the dugout, [saying], ‘Everyone relax. Do what you do.’ Even to me, coming up, rubbing my shoulders, just like, ‘I got you.’ There’s just no panic with this guy.”
Schwarber is one of 10 players on the U.S. roster for 2026, joining outfielders Aaron Judge, Corbin Carroll, and Pete Crow-Armstrong, second baseman Brice Turang, shortstops Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson, catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith, and pitcher Paul Skenes. The final roster will have 30 players.
Kyle Schwarber celebrates with third base coach Dino Ebel after hitting a three-run home run against Great Britain in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
DeRosa said he circled back to speak with Schwarber on Sunday and had no idea that he was about to re-sign with the Phillies. He wanted to know where Schwarber preferred to hit in the lineup, as he spent several seasons as the Phillies’ leadoff man until 2025, when he primarily hit second in the order behind Turner.
“He honestly said, his quote was, ‘D, I don’t care where you hit me. I’m going to walk and hit homers. The leadoff spot, the second spot, the third spot,’” DeRosa said.
Team USA lost to Japan in the 2023 final, which ended on a duel between Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. As the U.S. seeks to reclaim the title of world champion in March, the coaching staff believes Schwarber will be a key piece to the puzzle.
“I think it just goes to show how confident he is as a player and as a hitter and how great a guy he is,” DeRosa said. “He’s got that football mentality. He was a linebacker in high school, and he brings it right into the clubhouse. He’s got an infectious personality, and everyone loves him. And he backs it up.”
The Phillies and Kyle Schwarber agreed to a five-year contract, the team announced on Tuesday night. A source told The Inquirer that the deal totals $150 million.
The contract will take Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, through his age-37 season.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said repeatedly this fall that re-signing Schwarber was “a real priority” for the club.
“He’s so different than most of the guys I’ve ever been around,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He’s a great player, one, and he knows how to bring the heartbeat of the clubhouse down when things are going rough. Not only the clubhouse, but individuals as well. I’ve talked about it to no end. He’s just a huge part of our ballclub.”
While primarily a designated hitter, Schwarber has seen occasional time in left field when needed to give the Phillies more flexibility with the DH spot. He also took reps at first base last spring. Thomson said Schwarber could continue to see time in left once in a while to give another teammate a day off from defense.
Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hit 56 home runs in his final season before free agency.
Since Schwarber signed his first contract with the Phillies in 2022, a four-year, $79 million deal, he accumulated 11.1 WAR, bashed 187 home runs, and drove in 434 runs. He also underwent a total transformation against left-handed pitching. In 2025, Schwarber hit 23 home runs against lefties to set a single-season record for a left-handed batter.
That was only one chapter in his milestone season, when he hit 56 homers — including four in one game — to finish two shy of Ryan Howard’s franchise record. Schwarber was runner-up for National League MVP.
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“Schwarb’s obviously one of our team leaders, one of the cornerstones of this organization,” Bryce Harper said after the Phillies were eliminated from the NLDS.
Thomson, who texted with Schwarber on Tuesday to check in, said he’s confident that Schwarber will be able to maintain his production throughout the length of the contract.
“I think just his work ethic. The body’s gotten better over time. He’s in the best shape of his life right now, and I don’t think that that’s going to change,” he said. “He’s so intelligent. He sees the game a little bit different than a lot of other guys, and he works at it, watches a lot of film.
“I think there’s a really good chance that he’s going to maintain this level. I mean, this was an unbelievable year for him. So I don’t think we can expect this every year, but I still think he’s going to be a high-level performer.”
“It’s really more their process than it is ours at this time in the sense that they set the time frame,” Dave Dombrowski said. “They know we have interest, and then it’s up to them to kind of say, ‘OK, we’re ready to move forward,’ or not, whenever that ends up happening.”
That was three weeks ago. Schwarber and Realmuto have had five weeks to browse the market. By now, they have a decent idea of what’s there for them beyond the Delaware Valley. The Phillies probably do, too.
And with the baseball world set to gather again Sunday night in Orlando for the three-day winter meetings, it might finally be time for all parties to circle back to one another. In the shadow of the Magic Kingdom, of all places, the fantasyland of rumors about which teams are curious about which players will give way to a better sense of reality about whether Schwarber and Realmuto will return or move on.
The Phillies haven’t hidden their strong desire to keep both. Even though Schwarber will be 33 and Realmuto 35, and they’re central to a team that made the playoffs four years in a row but stubbed its toe in October, Dombrowski described them as “very important” and said they “mean a lot to the organization.”
With the exception of Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, owner John Middleton hasn’t lost out on a free agent that he’s wanted since the “stupid money” winter of 2018-19. And free agents have wanted to play in Philly over the last half-decade because of the culture set by Schwarber, Realmuto, et al.
No wonder most of the industry expects Schwarber and Realmuto to find their way back to the corner of Pattison and Darien.
Phillies owner John Middleton hasn’t been outbid for many free agents over the last half-decade.
But even if it feels like almost a fait accompli, the mission for their agents is to get offers that will at least drive up the price. Maybe they’ve done that. Maybe not.
Schwarber’s market is especially fascinating because it lacks most of the high-payroll teams. The Dodgers’ designated hitter is Shohei Ohtani, only the best player on the planet. The Yankees (Giancarlo Stanton) and Astros (Yordan Alvarez) are set at DH, too. George Springer had a career renaissance as a DH for the Blue Jays, who are in on seemingly every marquee free agent except Schwarber. The Cubs appear to be focused on pitching.
The Red Sox want to add a middle-of-the-order bat, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said last month, and Alex Cora loved managing Schwarber in 2021. But given their lineup’s lefty lean and Fenway Park’s dimensions, righty-hitting Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman might be better fits. And Boston doesn’t spend money like it once did, either.
The Reds’ interest in bringing Schwarber home to southwest Ohio is real, multiple sources confirmed this week. It makes sense for a young team that is rich in starting pitching but lacking power and veteran leadership. Asked in July about the prospect of being courted by his childhood team, Schwarber said this: “I think it’d be awesome.”
But the Reds intend to keep their payroll in the $120 million range, president of baseball operations Nick Krall told reporters last month, leaving them with about $20 million to spend for 2026. Schwarber figures to cost at least $30 million per year.
And even if they had the cash, spending big for free agents isn’t in the Reds’ organizational DNA. They’ve done only two nine-figure contracts in their history, and Joey Votto and Homer Bailey were extensions. Their largest free-agent contracts: Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos, both four years, $64 million.
That leaves, well, who? Various reports have linked Schwarber to the Giants and Pirates (seriously).
The Mets are “in the mix” for Schwarber, at least according to an ESPN.com report. It’s plausible as a backup plan if New York doesn’t re-sign Alonso, although president of baseball operations David Stearns emphasized run prevention as the team’s chief offseason focus. Schwarber doesn’t help there.
But the best way for Schwarber’s agents to hike the price on the Phillies might be to claim interest from the rival Mets, owned by Steve Cohen, the wealthiest man in baseball. And the Mets could attempt to gain leverage over Alonso by suggesting they’d pivot to Schwarber.
In any case, the Phillies remain the favorite in the Schwarber derby.
“You have the owner who wants him, you have Dave Dombrowski who wants him, you have the coaching staff, you have [manager] Rob Thomson, you have a fan base — everybody involved here wants [him] to be back, including Kyle — so what does it come down to?” hitting coach Kevin Long, who is close with Schwarber, said on The Inquirer’s Phillies Extra podcast. “What’s his market value, and are we willing to give him his market value? And I think the answer is yes to that.
“I think it would be devastating to this organization and this fan base and everybody involved if he wasn’t a Phillie.”
The last five weeks have been about establishing market value for Schwarber and Realmuto. Next week might finally mark the Phillies’ chance to meet it.
A few other thoughts leading into the winter meetings:
Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm is once again a candidate to be traded in the offseason.
Trading places
Two of the most intriguing offseason moves so far were one-for-one trades of major leaguers.
The Orioles swapped four years of control over gifted but often-injured pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for walk-year outfielder Taylor Ward. Then, the Mets dealt popular outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien in a change-the-mix move.
Across the sport, the trade market is hyperactive, multiple team officials said this week, perhaps because some clubs are wary of signing free agents to multiyear contracts amid labor uncertainty beyond 2026.
Once again, Alec Bohm‘s name will come up in the Phillies’ conversations. But they couldn’t agree on his value in trade talks last winter, and it figures to be even lower now that the third baseman is one season from free agency.
Lefty reliever Matt Strahm could be another potential chip, especially after Dombrowski volunteered in an end-of-year news conference that the veteran declined to do pitcher fielding drills before the postseason.
Rivals believe the Phillies prefer trading from their major league roster rather than the farm system after moving teenage shortstop Starlyn Caba (for Jesús Luzardo) and catcher Eduardo Tait and right-hander Mick Abel (for Jhoan Duran) within the last calendar year. Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller, and Justin Crawford are thought to be largely off limits, with Painter and Crawford ticketed for the opening-day roster and Miller close behind.
As long as the Phillies cling to that trio, it’s difficult to see them matching up with the Diamondbacks for second baseman Ketel Marte, the Red Sox for outfielder Jarren Duran, or especially the Twins for center fielder Byron Buxton, if Buxton decides to waive his no-trade clause.
But maybe there’s a trade to be made for someone like Astros center fielder Jake Meyers, a solid defender who batted .292 with a 103 OPS-plus this season and is reportedly available.
Jesús Luzardo had a big season for the Phillies after being acquired in a trade last December.
Making a pitch
A year ago, the Phillies weren’t focused on starting pitching at the winter meetings. But they traded for Luzardo a few weeks later, and it wound up as their best offseason move.
Just something to keep in mind.
Because although the rotation remains the strength of the roster even amid the expected departure of free agent Ranger Suárez, there are questions. Aaron Nola is coming off an injury-interrupted season in which he posted a 6.01 ERA. Painter’s prospect shine isn’t quite as luminescent after he struggled in triple A.
Oh, and although Zack Wheeler is close to throwing a ball again, a source said this week, the recovery from thoracic outlet decompression surgery isn’t always a linear process.
And Dombrowski, who values starting pitching as much as any executive in the sport, recently noted the drop-off after Cristopher Sánchez, Luzardo, Wheeler, Nola, Taijuan Walker, and Painter.
“We don’t have a lot of starting pitching depth, so that’s something that we have to be cognizant of,” he said. “It’s not our highest priority, but I can’t say that we wouldn’t [add another starter]. That doesn’t necessarily mean top of the market, but where does that fit in? Because you never have enough starting pitching.”
After making a bid for Yamamoto two years ago, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Phillies show interest in Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai. Or maybe they will be opportunistic in the trade market again.
One other bit of winter-meetings business: The Phillies are still looking for a bench coach. Don Mattingly remains a leading candidate, if he’s interested in returning to the dugout after leaving the Blue Jays’ staff after the World Series.
What would it mean to keep Kyle Schwarber in a Phillies uniform?
Just look at the names he is likely to pass on the franchise’s all-time home runs list by the end of 2026, his age-33 season.
Sitting at 187 dingers since joining the Phillies, Schwarber likely will pass Bobby Abreu (195) and Dick Allen (204) before the All-Star break. A month or two later, he could pass Jimmy Rollins (216) and Cy Williams (217).
By then, Schwarber will be in striking distance of three of the heaviest hitters in Phillies history, literally and figuratively.
Greg Luzinski, 223
Chase Utley, 233
Chuck Klein, 243
A repeat of Schwarber’s 56 homers in 2025 would leave him in a tie with Klein for fifth place all-time. Only Del Ennis (259) and Pat Burrell (251) would stand between him and Mike Schmidt (548) and Ryan Howard (382).
You can’t let a guy like that walk away. We know it. The Phillies know it. And, yeah, Schwarber’s agent knows it. Which is why we are here, in early December, on the eve of baseball’s annual winter meetings, still waiting for confirmation that the last of the Schwarbombs has yet to fall on South Philadelphia.
Do not fret, sweet children. Save your angst for the Eagles. The baseball offseason is in its opening laps. The pace car is still on the track. The top of the market has barely begun to percolate. Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger … all have yet to agree to terms. All will remain free agents for the foreseeable future. Exactly one position player has signed a multiyear contract. Schwarber and the Phillies are right where we should have expected them to be.
The one big deal to date actually bodes well for the Phillies. Josh Naylor’s five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Mariners suggests that the market won’t grow too outlandish for sluggers at nonpremium positions.
Kyle Schwarber will enter his age-33 season coming off a 56-homer campaign in 2025.
You can argue that Naylor barely qualifies as a slugger, with 88 home runs over the last four seasons. Whatever the semantics, he clearly is in a different power class. But there is some comparability here. Naylor’s 124 OPS+ from 2022 to 2025 is in a similar tier to Schwarber’s 134. He is also four years younger than Schwarber and has a good glove at first base.
The logic goes something like this: The same types of teams that would have interest in a hitter like Schwarber probably would have interest in a hitter like Naylor. If Naylor had signed for six years and $120 million or five years and $110 million, we might be sitting here wondering if it really would be wise for the Phillies to shell out the stupid money it would take to retain Schwarber. The answer probably still would be yes. But it’s nice not to have to consider it.
It’s fair to assume that the market will look as it has the past several seasons. There is a pretty hard limit on the amount teams are willing to spend on players who don’t add significant value on defense. Besides Juan Soto, the only hitters to sign for more than $95 million over the last three offseasons have played shortstop, center field, or starting pitcher (Shohei Ohtani). The last first baseman or designated hitter to sign for more than five years and $100 million was Freddie Freeman, who landed six years and $162 million from the Dodgers in 2022.
Schwarber can — and should — argue that he is a different case. A typical designated hitter doesn’t finish second in MVP voting. Schwarber’s power and consistency are transcendent enough to disregard positional archetypes. The only hitter with more home runs than his 187 over the last four seasons is Aaron Judge (210). He, Judge, and Ohtani (also at 187) stand alone. In terms of impact on a contender, Schwarber is much closer to Freeman than he is to Naylor. Six years and $150 million is a defensible ask.
The Phillies can argue that Schwarber’s age and positional limitations are legitimate factors. Just look at Pete Alonso, who is pretty close to a carbon copy of Schwarber at the plate. The Mets’ first baseman had to settle for a two-year, $54 million contract last offseason. Not only that, Alonso is on the market again after opting out of his deal. Or, consider Teoscar Hernández, who signed with the Dodgers for three years and $69 million last year. Schwarber is better than Hernández. But is he better than two Hernándezes? For the Phillies, four years and $100 million is a justifiable offer.
Hopefully, we’re just waiting for the two sides to split the difference. Five years and $125 million would be a steep price to pay to lock up the designated hitter position through Schwarber’s age-37 season. But then, Schwarber will be bigger than a 37-year-old designated hitter when that time comes. He will be one of the defining players of an era, one of the franchise’s all-time greats, a fixture in the community and a potential Hall of Famer. He may have passed Howard for second on the franchise home run list. He may be closing in on 500 for his career.
Can the Phillies afford to sign Schwarber?
The better question is whether they can afford not to.
Kyle Schwarber spent much of his first five major league seasons trying to get things right against lefties.
Joe Maddon watched the struggle up close.
Schwarber was a .198 hitter with a .658 OPS in 374 plate appearances against lefties from 2015 to 2020, and as the Cubs’ manager, Maddon was hard-pressed to keep him in the lineup. After the 2020 season, under an ownership mandate to cut payroll, Chicago let Schwarber go.
It must have been quite a sight, then, for Maddon to watch Schwarber bat .300 against lefties in 2024 for the Phillies and set a single-season major league record with 23 left-on-left homers this year.
Schwarber became a complete hitter in four seasons with the Phillies — and put himself in position to cash in this offseason in free agency. As Schwarber’s market develops, Maddon sat down with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss the slugger’s maturation as a hitter.
Maddon also weighed in on how the Phillies can best protect Bryce Harper in the lineup, the value of experience in the manager’s seat, and more. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation, edited for brevity and clarity.
Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcaston Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Q: You managed Schwarber in his first five years in the big leagues, and there were real questions about his ability to hit lefties and be an everyday player. What goes through your mind this year, when you see him set a record with 23 homers against left-handers and evolve into a complete hitter?
A: The guy’s all heart. He comes from a family of first responders. He’s got a great charity organization. I love his wife, Paige. Also haven’t met the baby yet, but there’s a lot to love about this guy. He’s real … and that’s why he fits in so well in Philadelphia.
When we had him there [in Chicago], I wanted to hit him leadoff because of all the attributes that we’re discussing right now, the fact that I thought he had a good eye at the plate, he would accept his walks, and he could put you up 1-0 before the first hitter is done right there. However, he was deficient against left-handed pitching at that time. He didn’t wait on the ball as well as he does right now. … You can see the difference in the way that Schwarbs just lets the ball get to him, as opposed to wanting to go get it, especially against the left-handed pitcher, the ability to hit the ball to left-center has really highlighted that even better. So am I surprised? No, I thought that eventually it would get to that point.
If you’re the Cubs, at that point in his career, it’s hard to be patient. I was criticized for [hitting him] leadoff, even though I really thought it was a great idea, and you’ve seen it’s worked well, even in Philadelphia when they do that. But he really did need to learn a new approach, mentally and physically, against left-handed pitching. And he has. They’ve done a wonderful job.
The other part that was against him was his defense. He had been a catcher. When he came up, we put him in the outfield, and he was a below-average outfielder. There’s no way to describe it otherwise. But he had a good arm. He made some really great throws. And of course, he’s one of those guys, if you tell him he can’t do something, he’s going to prove you wrong, which he’s done his entire existence, from [college at] Indiana on up, and even probably when he was in high school. So these are the things he had to learn. He has learned them.
I’m so happy for him and his family that this all happened now, so that probably, I would say absolutely, a three-year heavy contract with maybe a fourth year as an option is in order right now. I’d love to see him stay in Philadelphia, because I think his sensibilities, his personality, plays with that fan base extremely well, and that’s not going to go away.
However, I know Dave Dombrowski really well. David and I scouted together in Arizona back in the ’80s. David’s a real baseball guy. He’s going to look beyond certain components of this. They know what they see, also talking to him and the impact he has in the clubhouse. I would like to believe he’s going to stay in Philadelphia, and I think he should. I don’t know that if somebody wants to give him a couple more million bucks than the Phillies do, that, I still think Schwarbs is grounded enough that he’s going to go where he wants to go, as opposed to being swayed by a couple extra dollars.
Rob Thomson’s Phillies have been bounced from the playoffs in the NLDS each of the last two seasons.
Q: What do you make of where the Phillies stand in their competitive cycle, and how far do you think they can go with the same group?
A: If you’re going to change things, you’ve got to pretty much make sure that you’re getting better, right? They are good. I like watching them. I watch them often, and I think they have grit. I think they have great camaraderie. I love their leadership. I don’t know what else you want, really. I mean to say that we’re just going to blow this up and all of a sudden we’re going to be as good next year as we were the last two or three years, and then we’re going to do better in the playoffs, that’s kind of a reach for me.
With this group, I would look to tweak it a little bit. I wouldn’t necessarily look to blow it up. There’s just too many good players on that roster, and I really think they interact well.
The division itself, with the Mets, the Braves off a bad year are going to probably be better. But I still think Philly’s the right team, the team that has a chance to repeat again as the champs of their division again next year.
My biggest thing I would look at is, “how do we prep for playoffs? What are we doing there?” My big thing is, when you get to the playoffs, I like to do less and not more. And analytical departments like to do more and not less. That time of the year, you’ve already played all these teams. You’ve played them; you’ve seen them. And then there’s the meetings. If they become more laborious, more detailed, longer, you’re putting more stuff on guys’ plate, that would be the mistake I would consider. So I don’t know this. I’m just saying I would really look at the prep work, because what would always frustrate me, we would go through the whole year, you get to this particular juncture, and now is the time to really let your players get out there, rested body, rested mind, and free. Give them a nugget or two, but let them go play some baseball, which is why we just love the World Series.
… I had Shohei [Ohtani], I’ve had a lot of these guys — they don’t hold on to analytical nuggets when the game’s played. They don’t. That’s for managers and coaches to really decipher before a game. But then again, it has to be distilled. When you get too much information, it only serves to confuse. And again, I don’t know anything here, because I’m not privy to this, but I would look into, how are we prepping going into the playoffs? What are we laying on these guys, and how are we approaching them at that point? Because, quite frankly, they look a little bit more uptight to me in the playoffs than they do during the regular season. Like with Arizona a couple years ago [in the NLCS], I couldn’t believe that.
So, I would really research and analyze my approach into that part of the year. Because obviously the approach during the year looks pretty darn good, and I don’t see that changing. So whatever you feel as though there was a deficiency, yes, try to add on to that. There’s got to be some micro stuff. But to blow that thing up doesn’t make any sense to me.
Watch or listen to the full interview to hear Maddon’s thoughts on protecting Harper in the lineup, his connection with Phillies manager Rob Thomson, and more.
