The Boston Red Sox had a terrific season by most measures, making the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and producing some great prospects along the way. Rookie Roman Anthony was exhibiting his superstar potential until early September, when he sustained an oblique injury that forced him to miss the last few weeks of the season as well as the Wild Card series against the New York Yankees.
If the Red Sox had avoided injuries, they may have moved beyond the Wild Card round, but they did not, and their lack of overall skill cost them dearly. The Red Sox simply lacked the hitting ability, particularly power, to upset the greatest clubs in the American League.
If the Red Sox want to sustain their success, they will confront a difficult offseason. Alex Bregman was a valuable free agency addition last season, but he has opted out of his three-year, $120 million contract. The Red Sox may return to war in an attempt to reclaim the talented third baseman. Even if they bring him back, it will not be enough to push them to the top of the American League.
They must look back in time and reintroduce one of the game’s greatest hitters. Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies will become a free agent following the World Series. He’d be an excellent designated hitter for manager Alex Cora.
Schwarber will garner interest from numerous teams, and the Phillies will want to keep him. He is coming off a breakout season in which he appeared in all 162 games for the Phillies. He hit 56 home runs and drove in 132 runs while slashing. 240/.365/.563. Schwarber struck out a lot (197 times), but he also walked 108.
Schwarber has proven himself time after time
There’s clearly more to the 32-year-old slugger than one outstanding season. He’s been on a roll for the past four years. He hit 46 home runs with the Phillies in 2022, his first season with the organization. Since then, he has recorded 47 home runs in 2023, followed by 38 in 2024. He has more than 100 RBIs in each of the previous three seasons.
He spent his first six years of professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs before joining the Phillies. He was a significant player in their 2016 World Series triumph over the Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians). Following that, he played for both the Washington Nationals and the Red Sox in 2021. He only played 41 games with Boston, but he was an excellent match for the squad.
He was popular among both the fans and his colleagues.
During his brief stint with the Red Sox, the 5-11, 230-pound slugger slashed.291/.435/.522, hitting 7 home runs and driving in 18. Schwarber liked playing at Fenway Park.
has certainly shown himself with the Phillies, and he is one of the game’s best sluggers, with Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Cal Raleigh. He deserves one of the greatest contracts any designated hitter has ever received. The Red Sox should do all they can to sign him. He may play the same role for the squad that J.D. Martinez did when they won their previous World Series championship in 2018.