Kyle

Schwarber

The deal is now official. Schwarber returns to Philadelphia following a transcendent campaign where he batted .240/.365/.563 with a career-high 56 round-trippers, 132 RBI and 10 steals over 162 games, finishing second in NL MVP balloting. Fantasy managers can safely project the 32-year-old run-producing wrecking ball to finish in the 40-homer neighborhood as one of the premier four-category contributors in the entire landscape. He’ll be a late-second or early-third round selection in all fantasy drafts next spring.

Ken Rosenthal adds that the Reds, essentially Schwarber’s hometown team, were at about $125 million for five years. The Reds probably won’t make a similar offer to any other free agent, but the Orioles are still on the prowl, with Kyle Tucker, Pete Alonso, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez all on their list.

That’s a slightly higher annual salary than Schwarber is getting on his five-year, $150 million deal to stay with Philadelphia. Still, even if the Pirates had added a fifth year, they probably didn’t have much of a chance here with the Phillies willing to make such a big commitment. The question now is whether they’ll offer similar dollars to another free agent. Their best route, though, might be to dip into their pitching to acquire Ketel Marte and then use what funds they have left to reinforce their rotation.

Schwarber received plenty of interest on the open market, but he ultimately will return to Philadelphia, where he was the NL MVP runner-up in 2025 after hitting .240/.365/.563 with 56 home runs and an NL-leading 132 RBIs. There was some thought that his being 33 years old and only a designated hitter would hurt his value on the market, but that was clearly not the case, as he’ll get $30 million a season until he’s 38 years old. This is great news for the Phillies, and fantasy managers know what to expect from Schwarber in a Phillies uniform. Passan indicates that his signing could also “accelerate” the free agent market.

Schwarber played for Team USA back in 2023 and hit two home runs in five games. He’s coming off a season in which he hit 56 home runs and drove in 132 RBIs. The pending free agent will be joined on Team USA by fellow new additions second baseman Brice Turang, shortstop Gunnar Henderson, and catcher Will Smith, who were all announced today.

Feinsand adds that executives believe Schwarber may be the first major free-agent domino to fall, with a reunion in Philadelphia viewed as a legitimate possibility. The Mets, Red Sox, Reds and Pirates are also among the clubs showing strong interest in the 32-year-old slugger, who led the National League with 56 homers and 132 RBI last season. His decision looms large: once Schwarber chooses his landing spot, several teams will finally be able to pivot and execute the secondary moves they’ve been waiting on.

The report says it’s probably worth more than $100 million. Of course, it’s going to be tough for the Pirates to land a free agent like Schwarber, not only because they’re the Pirates but also because their ballpark isn’t very hitter friendly and especially not home run friendly. (Although at least it’s better for lefties than righties in that regard.) As they’ve already done once this winter, their best hope is probably to trade pitching for hitting and then perhaps they could spend to fortify their rotation afterwards.

At least that’s the belief around the league according to Olney and Passan. The Phillies, Reds and Giants have been among the teams already linked to the 32-year-old slugger. It’s possible that his market could come into focus in the next few days during the winter meetings. Regardless of where he lands, Schwarber will continue to be a force for fantasy purposes during the 2026 season.

Schwarber will be one of the most sought-after hitters in free agency and will certainly be offered more money by other franchises. However, as Rosenthal notes, Schwarber is from Middletown, Ohio, about 35 miles north of Cincinnati, and “he is interested in a possible homecoming, according to people briefed on his thinking.” FanGraphs estimates that the Reds have about $20 million to spend, which makes it seem unlikely they will land Schwarber.

At this point, every MLB team should at least check in on Schwarber after he hit 56 home runs and drove in 132 runs and finished second in NFL MVP voting. With Rafael Devers in town and top prospect Bryce Elridge looking MLB-ready. It seems unlikely that the Giants will land Schwarber.