The Philadelphia Phillies need to make re-signing Kyle Schwarber a priority this offseason or risk watching him walk. Several teams have already been linked to the slugger, though he remains on the market for now.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently projected Schwarber to land a massive $160 million contract—far beyond what most small-market clubs can afford. Still, a handful of intriguing teams could realistically pursue him.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer even predicted that the Cincinnati Reds will ultimately secure Schwarber on a blockbuster deal during the winter meetings.
“The Reds have never spent more than $64 million on a free agent. They might need to exceed that by $100 million to get Schwarber, which is a huge leap,” Rymer wrote. “Yet Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic offered Reds fans some optimism on December 3. His reporting indicated not only that the Reds are serious about Schwarber, but that Schwarber himself is ‘interested in a possible homecoming.’”
A move of this magnitude would be unprecedented for Cincinnati, as signing Schwarber would almost certainly require a commitment well north of $100 million. But the Reds are his hometown club, and he’s expressed interest in playing there.
Landing Schwarber would be a franchise-shifting addition. With his power, he could realistically hit 40 to 50 home runs a year at Great American Ball Park and help push Cincinnati toward the top of the NL Central.