ORLANDO, Fla. – Kyle Schwarber isn’t going anywhere.
A source told MLB.com on Tuesday morning that Schwarber and the Phillies have agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract. The team has not confirmed the move.
It’s what everybody expected when free agency began last month, regardless of the number of teams reportedly interested in signing him. The Phillies wanted Schwarber back. Schwarber wanted to stay.
It was only a matter of time, years and money.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski expressed “optimism” on Monday regarding discussions with Schwarber. One source familiar with Schwarber’s thinking also said on Monday that the slugger had expressed confidence he would reach an agreement with the Phillies.
Another source said there was no way Phillies owner John Middleton would allow him to go anywhere else.
Other teams tried. The longshot Pirates made a four-year, $120 million offer, according to a source. But nobody considered Pittsburgh to be a legitimate threat. The Phillies are much closer to a World Series title with a yearly commitment to fielding a championship-caliber team.
The Reds seemed like a more viable threat because Schwarber grew up just outside Cincinnati in Middletown, Ohio. Cincinnati also made the postseason in 2025 behind manager Terry Francona.
Even with that, the Reds were thought to be a longshot, per sources.
It’s unclear how seriously the Red Sox, Mets and Orioles pursued Schwarber.
It doesn’t matter now, of course. Schwarber is back, which means the Phillies kept a power bat in the lineup, a leader in the clubhouse and a committed member of the community.
Schwarber, 32, finished second for NL MVP this year. He led the National League with 56 home runs. He led MLB with 132 RBIs. He signed a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies in March 2022.
It couldn’t have worked out much better.
Now the attention turns to catcher J.T. Realmuto. Dombrowski expressed optimism that Realmuto could return as well. If Realmuto signs, the Phillies still figure to tweak the lineup, possibly by trading talent from the 26-man roster.
A source said last month that if the Phillies bring back both Schwarber and Realmuto, they are unlikely to pursue other pricey free agents on the market like Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette.
But things change all the time. Stay tuned.