"Coming off a 56-homer season, Kyle Schwarber is understandably looking to cash in, and could aim for a five-year free agent deal that would cover his age 33-37 seasons. That would be a hefty commitment to a player who is basically a DH-only bat at this point in his career, though it is possible that in exchange for a longer term, Schwarber and his reps at Excel might be willing to bend a little on the contract's average annual value."
"Speculating on the tenor of negotiations could be a moot point, however, since there is a sense that the Phillies are dead set on bringing Schwarber back. There has been public interest in a reunion from Schwarber himself, from president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, and (most importantly) from owner John Middleton. The Phils have been more than willing to pay top dollar to retain most of their top talents during the Middleton era, ranging from Zack Wheeler's extension to new contracts with Aaron Nola and J.T. Realmuto after first letting them test free agency."
"For the second straight season, the Phillies won the NL East and earned a bye to the NLDS, only to lose in four games. The Phils again face some big decisions about retaining or replacing members of their core, and the bigger-picture question might be if this core group needs a larger shakeup to get the team over the top. Guaranteed Contracts Option Decisions 2026 financial commitments (assuming Alvarado's option is exercised):$177.34MM Total future commitments (assuming Alvarado's option is exercised): $642.54M Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz) Free Agents"
The Phillies won the NL East for a second straight season but lost in the NLDS in four games, prompting questions about the current core's ability to advance further. Significant guaranteed money and option-driven commitments create notable 2026 and long-term payroll obligations. Kyle Schwarber, coming off 56 homers, could seek a lengthy free-agent deal despite being primarily a designated hitter, and the team appears inclined to re-sign him. J.T. Realmuto is a free agent again after a five-year deal, with strong cumulative defensive value but declining offensive production in his age-34 season.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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