The Philadelphia Phillies aren’t fond of any of their National League East competitors, but their rivalry with the Atlanta Braves has been especially intense in recent years.
In both 2022 and 2023, the Phillies knocked the Braves out of the playoffs, even though Atlanta had the superior record. Tensions have also run high with plenty of trash talk, both on and off the field, including the memorable “Ha ha, Harper” incident involving Bryce Harper and Orlando Arcia.
One of the most effective ways for teams to retaliate against each other is by stealing away key players. With both teams set to lose some major talent this winter, tensions could escalate.
To raise the stakes, a baseball insider suggests the Braves might be eyeing the Phillies’ top hitter right now—a player who’s been pivotal both in the clubhouse and for the city over the past few years.
On Wednesday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic speculated that the Braves could target Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, especially since their own DH, Marcell Ozuna, will soon be a free agent as well.
“Schwarber is arguably the best teammate in the game, reaches base at a 39 percent clip and is always in the hunt for the home run crown. He’s a player most teams will covet if they have an opening or flexibility at the DH spot,” Bowden wrote.
“The Phillies want to retain Schwarber and are prepared to give him a long-term contract at the appropriate time. However, several other teams would love to have him, including the Braves (if they lose Marcell Ozuna in free agency).”
After inking a four-year, \$79 million contract with the Phillies, Kyle Schwarber couldn’t have picked a better time for free agency, especially with the way he’s been crushing the ball lately.
Schwarber’s putting up a solid .257/.390/.573 slash line this season and is tied for the MLB lead in home runs (17) alongside Shohei Ohtani. He’s set to rake in a massive payday, whether it’s from the Phillies, the Braves, or another team altogether.
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