5 potential landing spots for Kyle Schwarber in free agency
The Cubs non-tendered Schwarber on Wednesday, making him a free agent.(RADIO.COM Sports) After being non-tendered by the Cubs on Wednesday, outfielder Kyle Schwarber joined a free-agent class without much in the way of certainty for players who are best-geared to be designated hitters.
The National League temporarily introduced the DH in 2020, and the long-held belief is that it will become permanent as part of the new collective bargaining agreement that needs to be in place before the 2022 season. Still, there's no agreement for the DH to be in the NL in 2021. MLB and the MLB Players Association plan to discuss the future of the DH later in December, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported, but it's extremely difficult to build a team without any certainty on that front.
With the possibility that the senior circuit ultimately will have the DH in 2021, players like Schwarber, Nelson Cruz and Marcell Ozuna are motivated to be patient in free agency, because additional suitors could emerge depending upon the rules put in place for this coming season. Schwarber has spent his entire career with the Cubs in the NL, where he has minus-12 career defensive runs saved. That would tell you that the 27-year-old Schwarber should probably sign with a team where he could DH at least on a part-time basis.
With the acknowledgement that this list could change if NL teams are made aware that the DH will return in 2021, here are five American League organizations that make sense as landing spots for Schwarber.