The Philadelphia Phillies, much like their NL East rival the Atlanta Braves, are set for significant changes this offseason. One name to watch is Kyle Schwarber. If the Phillies do end up saying goodbye, it’s likely to feel strange for Bryce Harper.
“I was talking to somebody the other day,” Harper told MLB.com. “And I was like, ‘Man, it would be weird not to have [Schwarber] in our clubhouse.’ He’s such a good leader. He’s such a good person in the community. Great family, great person. I think he’s a guy that obviously our team can build around. Obviously, he’s going to make a lot of money [as a free agent]. He’s going to be a very hot commodity on the market.”
The Phillies have already received a warning regarding Schwarber’s future.
“The Phillies should not re-sign Schwarber to a multi-year contract. Not signing him will hurt the club offensively and the front office would need to have a plan to replace the home run hitter. However, what if they bring him back for multiple years and he begins to decline? Either decision brings a certain amount of risk,” TBOH’s Matt Grazel wrote. “This roster needs substantial changes. While unpopular and risky, the decision not to re-sign Schwarber represents the best chance for Dombrowski to shake up the roster, which is necessary at this point.”
With free agency looming, Schwarber has also received another contract projection.
“Spotrac projects a four-year $99.6 million contract for Schwarber, giving him an average annual value of $24.9 million,” Blog Red Machine’s Stephen Parello wrote.
Schwarber has earned every bit of the money he’s expected to receive this offseason. In fact, he has had one of the best bats in all of MLB over the last few seasons. Even if the Phillies choose not to bring him back, another team is almost certain to pay the hefty contract he will command.
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