Kyle Schwarber’s return is the Philadelphia Phillies’ top goal.
Schwarber capped up his four-year, $79 million contract by leading the National League in home runs this year, proving to be an excellent investment. Despite being restricted to designated hitter responsibilities, he had a great clubhouse presence and could occupy a variety of positions in the batting order.
Unfortunately for the Phillies, a lefty batter who just hit 56 home runs will be sought after by several teams this winter. Furthermore, the Phillies may find it challenging to defend his price tag given that they have the fourth-largest anticipated opening day payroll before taking free-agent signings into consideration.
Because of this, it’s critical to understand what the Phillies are saying about Schwarber at this early stage of the offseason, as any suggestion that they are hesitant to sign him might have serious repercussions. However, it should come as no surprise that they appear excited about a potential reunion.
Speaking at the Major League Baseball general managers meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski gushed about Schwarber and declared his desire to bring the 32-year-old back to Philadelphia.
“His return would be greatly appreciated.” According to Christopher Smith of MassLive, Dombrowski responded, “Of course.” “What he accomplished for us is amazing. A kind person as well as a fantastic performer. The clubhouse is a nice place to be. Thus, we would adore having that.
Schwarber, who is currently a three-time All-Star, had a strong.856 OPS and averaged 47.75 home runs a season when playing for the Phillies. This year, he settled into the No. 2 position in the order between Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, batting leadoff at times and cleanup at others.