Schwarber returning to Phils on 5-year deal; contract worth $150M (source)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- In the end, nothing could pry Kyle Schwarber away from the Phillies.

The Phillies re-signed Schwarber to a five-year deal, the club announced on Tuesday night. The deal is worth $150 million, sources told MLB.com. It’s the result everybody expected, regardless of the number of teams interested in signing the slugging DH.

The Phillies made it clear from the very beginning that they wanted Schwarber back.

Schwarber made it clear that he didn’t want to leave.

A source said this week that Schwarber had expressed confidence about a return to Philadelphia. Another source said there was no way Phillies owner John Middleton would let him go.

Other teams tried their best. The Athletic reported that Baltimore made a five-year, $150 million offer, while Schwarber’s hometown Reds made a five-year offer in the $125 million range. Schwarber grew up a Reds fan in nearby Middletown, Ohio. He visited Great American Ball Park during Thanksgiving Week.

“Kyle’s a great guy and obviously he made a decision that’s best for his family,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. “That’s great. I’m happy for him. Obviously, Philadelphia -- he liked it there. He’s a really good guy. I respect that.”

Another source told MLB.com that the longshot Pirates made a four-year, $125 million offer.

The Red Sox and Mets reportedly pursued Schwarber, too, but it’s unknown if they made formal offers.

A couple weeks ago, the Phillies expressed frustration about the pace of Schwarber’s negotiations. But things picked up in recent days. Philadelphia made varying offers in terms of length and dollars, including one six-year deal. But Schwarber’s agent Casey Close called the Phillies on Monday night and told them that if they made a five-year, $150 million offer before the end of the night, Schwarber would accept it.

And he did.

The Phillies are elated. Schwarber, 32, finished second for NL MVP this season. He led the National League with 56 home runs. He led MLB with 132 RBIs. In his first four seasons with the Phillies, Schwarber and the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ranked second in MLB with 187 home runs. Only the Yankees' Aaron Judge (210) has hit more. And Schwarber’s .856 OPS ranks 15th out of 224 qualified players in that span.

The Phillies believe Schwarber will age well over the length of the deal. He turns 33 in March.

“I think just his work ethic,” manager Rob Thomson said. “The body's gotten better over time. He's in the best shape of his life right now, and I don't think that that's going to change. He's so intelligent. He sees the game a little bit different than a lot of other guys, and he works at it, watches a lot of film. I think there's a really good chance that he's going to maintain this level. I mean, this was an unbelievable year for him. So I don't think we can expect this every year, but I still think he's going to be a high level performer.”

Now the attention turns to free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski expressed optimism in Realmuto’s return on Monday. The Phillies have an offer on the table. They are waiting.

They can’t wait forever, of course, but they also know the catching market is thin.

What's next, beyond Realmuto? Sources said Tuesday that if the Phillies re-sign both Schwarber and Realmuto, they do not have the payroll flexibility to acquire another big-time free agent from a group that includes Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette and Cody Bellinger.

But moves still need to be made. Dombrowski still has space on his 40-man roster to add talent. Right now, they might be more depth-type pieces, although the Phillies need to acquire an outfielder or two. Harrison Bader remains a free agent. They are interested in bringing him back. They are trying to trade Nick Castellanos, though sources think that, if the Phillies find a match, it won’t happen until later in the offseason. And if they can’t trade Castellanos, they will release him.

If the Phillies want to acquire another impact hitter to help the lineup, they likely would have to trade a player of two from the 26-man roster to clear payroll. It’s possible.

Never rule out Dombrowski’s aggressiveness.

That said, Dombrowski expressed serious reservations about trading any of the team’s top prospects, including Andrew Painter, Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller. Painter and Crawford stand excellent chances of making the Opening Day roster. Miller could be in the big leagues by the summer.

These situations will develop in the coming weeks. For now, the Phillies are just happy to know the biggest item in their offseason to-do list is off the board.