When the Phillies signed Zack Wheeler to a new three-year contract during spring training last season, they completed one significant extension. Will it be Kyle Schwarber next?
At the WM Open Pro-Am golf event in Scottsdale, Arizona, Schwarber told Kyle Odegard of Sports Talk Philly that he would like to remain in Philadelphia beyond 2025.
“I’ve had a great time,” Schwarber said to Odegard. How many years did I spend with the Cubs before agreeing to a one-year contract with [Washington]? Now that I’m here, I feel at home. As long as I can, I would really like to continue that. In the upcoming years, perhaps, we will be able to win more World Series.
There is “interest” on his side, Schwarber continued.
We’ll check to see whether they’re interested. We will go from there.
After this season, the Phillies run the possibility of losing their second-best hitter and clubhouse leader, so Schwarber’s interest in signing an extension is a significant move. Schwarber has blasted 131 home runs in his three seasons with the Phillies. Since the 2022 season began, Schwarber has hit more home runs than everyone save Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.
2024 was his greatest season at the plate. He raised his OPS against lefties from.758 to.898, improved his hitting average from.197 in 2023 to.248, and led the National League in walks with 106. He had a more well-rounded season by forgoing some power in favor of more contact and a higher on-base percentage.
As he spends the rest of his career working as a DH mostly full-time, his finest qualities—power, patience, and adaptability—should hold up nicely. He will also be compensated on the open market for those abilities if he does not sign an extension. The Texas Rangers gave power-hitting DH Joc Pederson, who nearly always faces righties, two years and $37 million.
If Schwarber has another successful season with the Phillies, he may be able to demand twice as much in years and money when he is a free agency. Perhaps Schwarber and the Phillies could agree on a shorter-term contract that would be worth more on average each year than the $19.75 million he was paid by the team before the 2022 campaign.
It will be difficult to imagine the Phillies not extending Schwarber this spring. The fact that Schwarber is interested in sticking with the Phillies for the long haul is a very positive indication for the organization, regardless of whether a contract is finalized.
Leave a Reply