Philadelphia Phillies veteran slugger Kyle Schwarber is one of the biggest names on the free-agent market this offseason, and there reportedly is a long list of potential suitors for his services.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan explained that the demand for Schwarber is “high” this winter despite his “age and positional inflexibility as a full-time designated hitter.” He added that teams have made it “abundantly clear” that the 32-year-old’s production at the plate far outweighs any concerns.
As for which teams are pursuing Schwarber, Passan revealed that the Phillies are “fiending” to re-sign him after his spectacular 2025 season in which he finished second in the voting for National League MVP after posting career highs of 56 home runs and 132 RBI. Across the state of Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Pirates are also reportedly “in” on him as well.
However, the Phillies and Pirates are far from alone.
“Because of his production and leadership skills, Schwarber fits just about anywhere,” Passan explained. “The Boston Red Sox are still kicking themselves for letting him go after 2021. The New York Mets stealing him from Philadelphia would be a coup. The Toronto Blue Jays want a left-handed complement to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Cincinnati is 40 minutes south of where Schwarber grew up. The Detroit Tigers need some thump in their lineup.”
It seems that Schwarber will have no shortage of options in front of him this offseason as he decides his next destination. The 11-year veteran has suited up for four different franchises in his career, so it will be interesting to see if he prefers to stay in Philadelphia or find a new home.
Teams vying for Schwarber’s services will have to deal with significant competition across the majors, so they will need to pony up with a major contract if they hope to land him this offseason.