Phillies predicted to lock down their biggest offseason priority

The Philadelphia Phillies have one job to do after they potentially make a deep run in the postseason this fall. That is to re-sign their No. 1 hitter, who helped them get there in the first place. The name is Kyle Schwarber, who will become a free agent after this season.

Schwarber has swung for fences 52 times, second in the league. He's a power hitter who has proven to be a gold mine for the Phillies this season. While he comes with defensive limitations, given that he plays DH, if the outcome in 2025 is anything to go by, locking him up should be a no-brainer for the Phillies.

Sports Illustrated's Jackson Roberts shared his way-too-early free agency predictions on Monday. He predicts Schwarber re-signs with the Phillies.

"So, although it may not bode well for the team's hopes of keeping Suárez or J.T. Realmuto, the guess here is that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski throws the kitchen sink at his biggest bat," Roberts said.  

How much will it cost Phillies to re-sign Kyle Schwarber?

Several analysts and market trends suggest that Kyle Schwarber is in line to receive a $100M+ deal. He's expected to be extended for four or five years with an annual salary of at least $30 million. One projection has him exceeding $120 million total this offseason.

According to an ESPN poll participated in by scouts, agents, and executives, the average proposal was about 4.3 years / $131.8 million, which works out to roughly $30.7 million AAV. The only point of concern is whether the Phillies or any other interested team is willing to give him a guaranteed contract or make some deferral to accommodate him in the cap space.

If not for Shohei Ohtani, Schwarber might have won his first MLB MVP at the end of this season.