Former Cub Kyle Schwarber is headed back to the National League, this time as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. The All-Star slugger experienced a robust free-agent market, drawing reported interest from the Phillies, Marlins, Rockies, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Cubs (who he previously won a World Series with), among other suitors. Schwarber’s four-year deal is worth roughly $80 million, according to league insider Jayson Stark.
Schwarber is coming off one of his better seasons in 2021, launching 32 homers over 113 games (399 at-bats) for the Red Sox and Nationals. An outfielder by trade (though he did dabble at catcher early in his career), Schwarber logged 10 appearances at first base last season and should see extensive time at DH now that the National League has adopted a designated hitter. There’s a lot of swing and miss to Schwarber’s game (127 strikeouts last year), but when the 29-year-old gets ahold of one, as we witnessed when he went toe to toe with Bryce Harper in the 2018 Home Run Derby, watch out.
Schwarber gives the Phils, who are looking to end an 11-year playoff drought, another left-handed power bat to complement reigning MVP Bryce Harper in the middle of the order. This presumably takes Philadelphia out of the running for Kris Bryant, Harper’s childhood friend from Las Vegas and a key contributor to the Cubs’ World Series team in 2016. For his career, Schwarber has hit a sluggish .161 in Philadelphia (62 at-bats), though eight of his 10 hits at Citizens Bank Park have gone for extra bases (six homers, two triples).
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