Copyright Newsweek
The Philadelphia Phillies should have extended Kyle Schwarber's contract before this season, but they didn't get a deal done. As a result, Schwarber increased his value by quite a lot after putting together an MVP-level season with 56 home runs and nearly 5.0 WAR. But he's headed to free agency and the Phillies are set to have some serious competition to re-sign him. NBC Sports' Matthew Pouliot recently projected Schwarber would sign a huge four-year contract worth $128 million in free agency. "Schwarber’s 56 homers and 132 RBI in his walk year bested his previous highs by nine and 28, respectively," Pouliot wrote. "That he hit .244 in the second half of his four-year deal with the Phillies, compared to .207 in the first half, has dramatically increased his value, with the caveat that no one can know how much longer it will last. Still, he’ll almost certainly get another four-year deal, this one worth considerably more than the $79 million he signed for in 2022." The Phillies should have re-signed Schwarber before the season, but they're going to be forced to pay a huge cost if they want to land him this winter. Schwarber has earned a huge deal like this, even if he is only a designated hitter. Given the fact that he's one of the premier sluggers in the league, the lack of defense can be looked past. Besides the Los Angeles Dodgers, it wouldn't be surprising to see the other 29 teams in pursuit of Schwarber. He's a good fit for anybody.
