According to USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale, there is zero chance the Philadelphia Phillies lose Kyle Schwarber in MLB free agency after the season.
Schwarber is set to cash in big time this winter. The 32-year-old designated hitter is having the best year of his career at just the right time, and he is sure to have a boatload of suitors for his services this offseason. That fact has worried Phillies fans. However, there are reasons not to fear that this is Schwarber’s final year in Philly.
“Forget all of the talk. Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber isn’t going anywhere this winter. He loves Philadelphia, and more importantly, the Phillies love him. They simply will not be out-bid by any team, knowing how vital he is to them as not only their greatest power hitter, but their ultimate clubhouse leader.”
Bob Nightengale
The Phillies are a big-market club, and they have never shied away from spending big bucks for big-time talent. They should be a favorite in the Schwarber sweepstakes. But how much will it cost the club to keep their All-Star slugger around for a few more seasons?
- Kyle Schwarber stats: .242 AVG, .366 OBP, .563 SLG, .929 OPS, 49 HR, 120 RBI, 98 R
How much will it cost Philadelphia Phillies to keep Kyle Schwarber?
Teams like Texas, San Diego, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, and Cincinnati could all be in play for the slugger this winter. They are sure to drive up the price to re-sign Schwarber. And considering some of the contracts that have been signed in recent years, he will definitely get a huge contract this offseason.
Last week, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan shed some light on the likely yearly cost for Schwarber in a new pact. “Schwarber is going to get paid. Like, paid paid,” Passan wrote. “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.”
Chances are, for the Phillies to keep Kyle Schwarber, they will need to pony up a four-year deal worth around $33 million per season, or $132 million.
