The Philadelphia Phillies will have to be careful in free agency with Kyle Schwarber.
There’s no surprise that many teams around the league are expected to have interest in the big-time slugger, perhaps even multiple contending teams.
For a 32-year-old Schwarber, this is the best opportunity he’ll have in his career to get a massive payday. In fact, some believe that Schwarber is looking at $100 million plus over just a three or four-year deal.
Could Kyle Schwarber leave the Phillies?
The question remains as to where he could end up if he departs from the Phillies.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Philadelphia wants to keep him around, but the Boston Red Sox are another possible suitor. Schwarber played with the Red Sox during the 2021 campaign, appearing in 41 games in Boston.
“The Phillies want to keep their MVP candidate. Phillies, Cubs, Red Sox,” he wrote.
It’s no secret that the Red Sox are interested in adding a first baseman. While Schwarber has mostly been a left fielder and designated hitter throughout his career, if the Red Sox gave him more money to play first base, it could entice him.
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However, because he doesn’t play first, some believe that Pete Alonso could be a better fit for teams like the Red Sox, but there’s also an argument to be made for either side on who teams will value more, according to Jake Mintz of Yahoo.
“Schwarber vs. Alonso will spark a fascinating debate this winter. There’s a legitimate argument to put either above the other. Alonso — who recently cranked his 251st career home run, putting him one behind the Mets’ franchise record — is two years younger than Schwarber and plays a defensive position.
“But Schwarber is (1) a left-handed hitter, (2) producing a tier above Alonso offensively and (3) considered one of the few elite clubhouse presences in the game. I’m leaning toward Schwarber for now because he might hit 60 home runs,” he wrote.
