Krall, Reds playing cards close to chest amid Schwarber rumors

ORLANDO, Fla. -- When it came to the Reds at the Winter Meetings on Monday, all speculation and most topics essentially led straight to one free agent player and whether it's possible to sign him.

That, of course, would be Kyle Schwarber.

The Reds are among multiple clubs seeking to sign Schwarber -- one of this offseason's top free agents -- but president of baseball operations Nick Krall was scarce with details of how realistic their chances of landing the lefty-slugging designated hitter who grew up in their backyard.

“Honestly, I don’t know," Krall said. "I’m not sure. He’s a really good player that obviously fits on any team. He’s a middle-of-the-order bat.”

Schwarber is reportedly being pursued by several large-market clubs, including returning to the Phillies along with the Mets and Red Sox. The small-market Pirates have also been reported by The Athletic to have made an offer.

Krall would not characterize how aggressive Cincinnati's offers have been to the Middletown, Ohio, native.

“I’m not going to talk about an offer," Krall responded.

As far as selling points about the Reds to Schwarber, beyond a competitive offer, the club will likely have to do much more than rely on hometown heartstrings.

That could be where manager Terry Francona comes in. When asked what Cincinnati was offering that was unique for Schwarber, Krall motioned to Francona as he sat next to him in the team's hotel suite.

“Look, I think Cincinnati is a great place," Krall added. "It’s a great fanbase. You start with Opening Day. We’ve got a really good young nucleus of players. We’ve got a really good pitching staff. We made the playoffs last year, hoping to build off that. I think there are a lot of things that are positive that we do. Our coaching staff is really good. I’m just proud of who we are and the young talent we have to continue to work around.”

Speaking earlier in the day at a media gathering, Francona declined to discuss how involved he's been in recruiting Schwarber to the Reds.

“I think the best way to address that question is I'm probably not on an island when I say he's a really good player and he's a really good kid and he's got a great reputation," he said. "Other than that, I'd like to leave it to him to speak about whatever he wants to because I think that's the most respectful way to handle it.”

Schwarber is viewed by many as perfect for the Reds, who are trying to build on an 83-win season that was good for the final National League Wild Card spot. The club needs more offense and a solid veteran leadership, which Schwarber brings in multitudes.

Besides being an intangibles guy, Schwarber led the NL with 56 homers and the Majors with 132 RBIs last season for the Phillies and was fifth in MLB with a .928 OPS.

"He could fit on any team," Francona said. "I mean, he's going to score over 100. He's going to drive in over 100. He's a team leader. He's a great guy. And I'm not in the minority in saying that."

Unlike any other player the Reds might pursue this offseason, having Schwarber in the fold would generate ticket sales, goose merchandise sales and other ancillary revenue.

That could be important for the Reds, which have a more limited budget than the big market clubs. Their 2026 payroll is expected to be close to the 2025 levels, which was around $112 million on Opening Day, the 23rd highest in Major League Baseball.

Signing Schwarber would probably require creativity on the club's part.

“I think people look at every aspect where we can," Krall said. "Our ownership group puts everything back into the team every year. They try to figure out how to break even every year. That’s how we budget. We’re trying to figure out how to best utilize that budget for the big league club.”

While the Reds are trying for Schwarber, they are continuing talks about other hitters in the event he signs elsewhere.

“We’ve talked to every team out there trying to figure out if there’s a matchup for a trade," Krall said. "We’ve talked to every agent to see where everybody is and what they’re trying to do and if there’s a matchup there at all.”