The Philadelphia Phillies reached the All-Star break in the middle of a tight race for first place in the National League.
Tied for the third-most wins in the NL, the Phillies are just under three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who hold the top spot. With the National League pennant race intensifying, the team will rely on their lone offensive All-Star, Kyle Schwarber, to maintain his impressive performance.
As the designated hitter, Schwarber has been a key contributor to the Phillies’ offense, leading the team in runs, home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, and more this season. However, his stellar play could come at a price, as his success may attract a lot of interest during free agency this upcoming winter.
“Maybe the Phillies and Schwarber can work out something quickly in the offseason,” Scott Lauber wrote for The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Or maybe another team will swoop in.”
Schwarber’s future market is tough to predict. While he’s been one of baseball’s most consistent power hitters for years, he’s now 32 and doesn’t offer much defensively.
However, as an Ohio native with a home still in the state, he could be a good fit for the rising Cincinnati Reds. When Lauber inquired about the possibility of Schwarber joining his hometown team in free agency, Schwarber seemed open to the idea.
“Being a baseball fan and growing up and watching Cincinnati baseball for your whole youth, that’s how you fall in love with baseball, I think it would draw your attention, right?” Schwarber said, per Lauber. “Being able to play for your childhood team is something that I think it’d be awesome.”
As of now, Schwarber and the Phillies are most focused on completing a strong second half and making a deep playoff run. But when the time comes, it sounds like the slugger will be open to other offers if his current team can’t head them off with a new contract first.
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