The Philadelphia Phillies have an 84-60 record and are eight games ahead of the second-place New York Mets in the National League East. Kyle Schwarber, the designated hitter, has been instrumental in the team’s regular-season success.
Schwarber leads the National League in several statistical categories, including home runs (49), RBIs (120), and games played (144), and ranks second in OPS (.925) and third in walks (95). These numbers have put him squarely in the running for the league’s Most Valuable Player Award.
They will also be used as leverage in the free-agent market this winter, regardless of whether he wins the award, and will undoubtedly increase his value — which, despite his achievements, has been called into question because he does not play on the field.
Schwarber to earn $100 million over the duration of his new contract
Kyle Schwarber is no stranger to free agency. After turning down a mutual option with the Red Sox, he hit the open market following the 2022 season and didn’t sign until the following March, when the Phillies gave him a four-year, \$79 million contract.
Now approaching his age-33 season in 2026, teams may be wary about his long-term value. However, since Schwarber’s role is primarily at the plate rather than in the field, the reduced physical toll could make a multi-year investment more appealing.
Spotrac projects his next contract to be worth four years and about \$100.6 million (roughly \$25.1 million per season), representing a slight raise. That figure would rank as the second-highest deal for a designated hitter behind only Shohei Ohtani and the sixth-largest contract for any position player expected to sign this winter. The projection places Schwarber behind Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, and Trevor Story.
As for where he’ll sign, the destination is still uncertain. But MLB Network’s Jon Heyman has suggested that the Phillies are well-positioned to keep Schwarber in Philadelphia moving forward.