Phillies stay or go: DH Kyle Schwarber

The first Phillies player in our stay or go series will be Kyle Schwarber, who is an actual free agent and could opt to sign with a new team for 2026.

Schwarber's accomplishments and reputation precede him, and surely if you're reading this article you're aware of his impact on the field in Citizens Bank Park and have an opinion on whether you want the Phillies to re-sign him this offseason.

We're guessing you want him back.

Here's a look at some pros and cons to help challenge or confirm your opinion on Schwarber's future with the Philadelphia Phillies:

Why he should stay:

Great player

Schwarber led the NL in three categories last year, games played (162), home runs (56) and RBI (136, also the most in the majors). It's hard to ask for more. Over four years in Philly, Schwarber has hit a ridiculous 187 homers. He's also routinely among the league leaders in walks and on base percentage, despite his high strikeout rate and relatively low batting average (.226 as a Phillie). His track record speaks for itself. He's the centerpiece of the Phillies lineup and he would be nearly impossible to replace.

Great teammate

It's no secret that Schwarber is a high character guy, and in a clubhouse filled with veterans making eight-figure salaries he's the go-to guy. This quote he gave to Phillies Nation's Ty Daubert is a good illustration of why:

“I felt like our group, even though we were down two games, I just felt like we had a group that we’ve shown that we’ve been able to overcome a lot of different things,” Schwarber said after losing in Game 4 to the Dodgers. “And I felt really deep down in my heart that this was a team that was going to do it and overcome that.”

Phillies stay or go series
Rob Thomson | Dave Dombrowski | Kyle Schwarber | Ranger Suárez | J.T. Realmuto | Nick Castellanos | Harrison Bader | Alec Bohm | Max Kepler | Walker Buehler | Taijuan Walker | Jordan Romano, David Robertson, José Alvarado | Rafael Marchán, Weston Wilson, Edmundo Sosa, Otto Kemp

Who wouldn't want a guy like that around next year?

DH not much wear and tear

A little bit further down we're going to dive into the negatives and one of them is that Schwarber is on the wrong side of 30 and will, in fact, be 33 when next season begins. But due to his being relegated to designated hitter, the wear and tear factor isn't affecting him in the same way it would for a shortstop or centerfielder. He played in all 162 games last year and has missed just 14 games during his time in Philly, not including the postseason. If he returns as a DH, there's no reason to believe he won't be just as healthy.

He's a winner

Schwarber has played in 11 MLB seasons, and has reached the postseason 10 times. He won the 2016 World Series with the Cubs and is the only hitter in history to have a home run in every single round of the postseason: the NLWC, ALWC, NLDS, ALDS, NLCS, ALCS and the World Series. That's a guy you want to keep around.

Why he should go:

Limited as a fielder

Believe it or not, Schwarber was at one time a catcher. And then an outfielder who played a little first base. And now he's just a DH who mashes home runs. He was in the outfield just eight times in 2025, and took a hitter-only role in the other 148 games plus the postseason. Last season he only played defense 10 times. There is an argument to be made that money is better spent on someone like, say, Cody Bellinger, an impending tree agent who is a great defensive player in addition to his hitting prowess.

The price

It was reported a few days ago that Schwarber would be seeking to become the 19th player in Major League Baseball making over $30 million a year. As we said, he doesn't play in the field, and he is going to be 33 next season. Could the Phillies spend that money better in other ways to improve more?

The years

Schwarber is also looking for a long-term deal, which makes sense for a player well into his 30s. A four- or five-year deal, like the one he's reportedly seeking, would have him in red pinstripes until he is 37 or 38 . The Phillies are already going to be on the hook for some aging players:

Player	Signed until
Trea Turner	Age 40
Bryce Harper	Age 38
Zack Wheeler	Age 37
Aaron Nola	Age 37
Nick Castellanos	Age 34
Cris Sánchez	Age 33

The Phillies would be even more elderly in four or five years from now if they add half a decade more of Schwarber to their ledger.

The team needs a shake up

The Phils are sticking with their front office and manager. The team also has very few opening for upgrades this offseason with 20 of their 26 playoff rostered players under contract in 2026. The Phillies have been a streaky, home-run-or-bust sort of team on offense for years and that mentality has hurt them desperately in the postseason. We haven't mentioned it until now, but if you take away his two-home run performance in NLDS Game 3, Schwarber was 1-for-12 in the series. In 2024 against the Mets in the NLDS he went 2-for-16.

A new approach, a broad one that relies on hitters who get on base more and who have less of a history of streakiness, could be a way to inch toward more reliable success at the plate in the playoffs, and that approach might not include Schwarber.

What do you think?

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