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Ranking Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber's Top 10 Landing Spots Ahead of MLB Free Agency
The Philadelphia Phillies signed slugger Kyle Schwarber to a four-year, $79 million deal last time he reached free agency prior to the 2022 season.
Over the life of that contract, he went from a streaky performer with huge power upside to one of the most prolific home run hitters in baseball, slugging 187 home runs during that four-year stretch to match Shohei Ohtani and trail only Aaron Judge (210 HR) among all players.
Now he's set to test the free agency waters once again ahead of his age-33 season, and coming off a career year where he led the NL in home runs (56) and RBI (132) while earning his third All-Star selection and tallying a career-high 4.7 WAR in 162 games.
A DH only at this point in his career who provides little value outside of what he does in the batter's box, Schwarber will be an interesting case study in just how valuable a player with that profile is in today's game. He is also a respected veteran clubhouse voice who brings intangibles that are difficult to quantify.
The five-year, $110 million contract that J.D. Martinez signed with the Boston Red Sox prior to his age-30 season in 2018 is not a perfect comparison, but does stand out as a useful data point in negotiations.
Ahead we've highlighted the 10 teams most likely to make a run at Schwarber this winter.
10. Cincinnati Reds
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Projected DH: Gavin Lux
The Reds have rarely been an aggressive spender in free agency, but they have opened their wallets to sign Mike Moustakas (4/$64M) and Jeimer Candelario (3/$45M) in recent years.
Those signings both ended up being absolute disasters, but with a terrific young pitching staff and a glaring need for an impact bat, they can't use that as an excuse to not spend this winter.
Gavin Lux was the team's primary designated hitter in 2025, but he can also play left field, second base and third base, so there is a clear path to slot Schwarber into the DH role.
9. New York Mets
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Projected DH: Mark Vientos
In an ideal world, the Mets would re-sign Pete Alonso to a long-term deal and use Mark Vientos as their primary designated hitter in 2026.
However, if Alonso decides to walk after a frustrating offseason last year where he was unable to find the long-term pact he was seeking, the logical fallback plan might be to use Vientos at first base and to sign Schwarber to be the DH and replacement for Alonso's power.
The fact that the Mets would be stealing him from the division rival Phillies would only serve as further motivation, though it's tough to rank them any higher on this list since bringing back Alonso is still the most likely approach.
8. Atlanta Braves
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Projected DH: Drake Baldwin
With Marcell Ozuna set to depart in free agency, the Braves look like a logical landing spot for Schwarber with a clear need at designated hitter.
However, keeping the DH spot open might also be the best way to utilize both Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin, who are two of the better offensive backstops in the league and could co-exist in the lineup by rotating between catcher and DH.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported in the days leading up to the 2025 trade deadline that the Braves had no interest in trading Murphy and loved the Murphy/Baldwin tandem, but if they decide to revisit the idea of trading from an area of strength, it could open the door for a run at signing Schwarber.
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7. Baltimore Orioles
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Projected DH: Samuel Basallo
Are the Orioles going to trade Adley Rutschman this winter?
That's perhaps the biggest question surrounding the organization, and if they do pull the trigger on moving him, it would open up the starting catcher job for Samuel Basallo, who signed an eight-year, $67 million extension after just a handful of big league games.
The 21-year-old started games at catcher, first base and designated hitter over a 31-game audition, and with Coby Mayo expected to be the primary first baseman next year, he is penciled in as the primary DH if Rutschman sticks around.
If not, it would open up the DH job and create a clear need for another impact bat, and the Orioles have the money to make a splash if they decide Schwarber is the guy to move the needle.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks
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Projected DH: Pavin Smith
A year after shelling out a six-year, $210 million contract to sign Corbin Burnes, the D-backs top priority might once again be the starting rotation with Zac Gallen set to be a free agent and Merrill Kelly traded at the deadline.
However, there is also a case to be made for them adding a big bat.
Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez were also on the move this summer ahead of their own free agency, while Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is expected to be sidelined until midseason after tearing his ACL in September.
That's a lot of offensive firepower to replace, and the D-backs had some success using free agency to build a DH platoon of Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk a few years ago, so they should at least be viewed as peripheral contenders.
5. Chicago Cubs
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Projected DH: Moises Ballesteros
The Cubs are going to make a legitimate effort to re-sign Kyle Tucker in free agency, but there seems to be a growing belief that him joining the Los Angeles Dodgers is an inevitability.
If he does walk, the Cubs could let top prospects Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara compete for the starting right field job next spring, or they could move Seiya Suzuki back to that spot and open up the DH role for another prospect in Moises Ballesteros.
The third door would be to sign a replacement in free agency, and it's hard to envision a move the fan base would be more excited for than a reunion with Schwarber, who was a fan favorite throughout his initial run with the team.
Bringing him back would be more than just a nostalgia move for the Cubs front office, and is something they could seriously consider if they don't think the rookies are ready.
4. Detroit Tigers
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Projected DH: Colt Keith
The Tigers ranked near the bottom of the league in OPS (.701, 19th) and runs scored (276, 21st) during the second half of the season, and that's a big reason why they had the AL Central title snatched away by the Cleveland Guardians.
Riley Greene (36 HR), Spencer Torkelson (31 HR) and Kerry Carpenter (26 HR) give the lineup three legitimate power threats, but on-base percentage is not a strength from that trio, or the team as a whole for that matter.
That makes Schwarber the ideal target, as he would give the club another impact run producer while also slotting perfectly into the leadoff spot in the batting order where his .365 on-base percentage would be a major upgrade.
The Tigers used 10 different players at designated hitter and 10 different leadoff hitters in 2025.
3. Seattle Mariners
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Projected DH: Dominic Canzone
The Mariners have shown a willingness to pay up for a prolific designated hitter in the past, as the four-year, $57 million deal they gave Nelson Cruz prior to the 2015 season was among the largest ever for a DH at the time.
They also have a clear need for offensive help with deadline additions Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez both headed for free agency, along with second baseman Jorge Polanco.
Dominic Canzone emerged as an impact performer while playing primarily DH down the stretch, posting a 142 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 269 plate appearances, but he can also play a corner outfield spot.
Just imagine Cal Raleigh and Schwarber in the same lineup!
2. San Diego Padres
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Projected DH: Gavin Sheets
Gavin Sheets was a nice scrapheap find for the Padres during the 2025 season, but his production fell off significantly after the All-Star break.
1st Half: 349 PA, .265 BA, .775 OPS, 30 XBH, 14 HR
2nd Half: 196 PA, .229 BA, .695 OPS, 18 XBH, 5 HR
That dip in performance might be reason enough for the Padres to explore other options at the DH spot, and his projected $4.3 million arbitration salary could make him a non-tender candidate this winter.
Replacing Dylan Cease and Michael King in the starting rotation will be their No. 1 priority, but Schwarber could be an impact way to replace departing veterans Luis Arraez and Ryan O'Hearn.
1. Philadelphia Phillies
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Projected DH: Nick Castellanos
In theory, the Phillies could let Schwarber walk and shift Nick Castellanos to designated hitter, but that would create a glaring void in the lineup that would need to be addressed with an outfielder like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger.
In the end, bringing back Schwarber from both a production and a clubhouse leadership standpoint might simply be too important for the Phillies not to spend whatever it takes to keep him.
"Forget all of the talk, Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber isn't going anywhere this winter. He loves Philadelphia, and more important, the Phillies love him. They simply will not be out-bid by any team, knowing how vital he is to them as not only their greatest power hitter, but their ultimate clubhouse leader," wrote Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Will anyone else swoop in before the Phillies lock him up?
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