A month into MLB free agency, Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber still has not signed with a new club. That is not especially surprising, given that many consider him the second most valuable hitter on the market, but his decision will definitely be one of the more intriguing storylines to watch.
Because Schwarber is positioned to earn the biggest contract of his career, the process may take longer than some fans expect.
The Phillies remain a natural landing spot, but if Dave Dombrowski and the front office are unwilling to meet his price, Schwarber could easily end up elsewhere in 2026.
Will Laws of Sports Illustrated projects exactly that, predicting that Schwarber will sign with the New York Mets.
“Over the past four seasons, only Aaron Judge has more home runs than Schwarber’s one hundred eighty seven. The veteran slugger has been incredibly durable, missing just twenty one games since 2022. At this point, Schwarber is fully a designated hitter, and players who contribute little defensively have taken financial hits in recent years. But if teams believe he can remain one of the sport’s elite hitters in the medium term, then he is worth a nine figure contract,” he wrote.
For the Phillies, losing Schwarber would be damaging enough, as he has been arguably their most impactful bat, especially during the 2025 season. But losing him specifically to the Mets would be a nightmare scenario.
Philadelphia cannot let that happen, even if New York is willing to stretch the budget to land him.