It’s always been known that Kyle Schwarber was a useful, productive player, especially as a hitter. But it took him leaving Chicago and delivering a stellar offensive performance with the Nationals and Red Sox to slingshot him into “highly sought-after free agent” territory.
And that’s exactly where the veteran slugger stands with the lockout now over. Once you get past the Carlos Correas and Freddie Freemans of the market, it’s guys like Schwarber who are among the top prizes. He is a capable enough corner outfielder, can be a designated hitter and, in a pinch, learned how to play first base with Boston.
Couple that with his renowned approach at the plate, and you get a 29-year-old who is drawing substantial interest, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said during "The Athletic Baseball Podcast" released Monday.
"Kyle Schwarber is another big name out there," Rosenthal said. "He’s getting intense demand because teams saw what he did last season and are convinced now he’s going to be a dominant player."
Make no mistake, Schwarber was great last season. He also was a .229 hitter who averaged a strikeout a game the four seasons prior to 2021, so teams could be taking a gamble if they decided to get in a bidding war for him.
That said, he did help improve the Red Sox’ lineup considerably, and if that type of production becomes the norm, he’ll likely be well worth whatever he fetches on the market.
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