The Phillies got one big extension done in spring training last season when they signed Zack Wheeler to a new three-year contract. Could Kyle Schwarber be next?
Speaking with Sports Talk Philly’s Kyle Odegard at the WM Open Pro-Am golf tournament in Scottsdale, Ariz., Schwarber expressed interest in staying in Philadelphia beyond 2025.
“I’ve enjoyed my time so much,” Schwarber told Odegard. “I was with the Cubs for how many years, and then I signed the one-year deal with [Washington]. Being here, it feels like home now. I’d love to keep that going for as long as I can. Hopefully we can win multiple World Series in the years to come.”
Schwarber added that there is “interest” on his side.
“We’ll see if there is interest on their side. We’ll go from there.”
Schwarber having interest in signing an extension is a big development for the Phillies, who risk losing their second-best hitter and clubhouse leader after this year. In three seasons with the Phillies, Schwarber has hit 131 home runs. Only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have hit more home runs than Schwarber since the start of the 2022 season.
His best season at the plate came in 2024. He improved his batting average from .197 in 2023 to .248, increased his OPS against lefties from .758 to .898 and led the National League in walks with 106. He sacrificed some power for more contact and a higher on-base percentage, resulting in a more well-rounded year.
His best attributes, power combined with patience and ability to evolve, should age well as he spends the remainder of his career as a mostly full-time DH. If he doesn’t sign an extension, those skills will also get him paid on the open market. Joc Pederson, a power-hitting DH who plays almost exclusively against righties, got two years and $37 million from the Texas Rangers.
Schwarber, if he has another productive season with the Phillies, has a case to seek double that amount in years and dollars if he becomes a free agent. Maybe the Phillies and Schwarber could meet in the middle for a shorter-term deal with a higher average annual value than the $19.75 million he received from the Phillies prior to the 2022 season.
It will be hard to envision the Phillies passing up on the chance to extend Schwarber this spring. Whether a deal gets done or not, it’s a very good sign for the team that Schwarber seems interested in staying with the Phillies for the long run.
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