One of the byproducts of MLB's lack of salary cap is that there is no urgency, at all, for the sport's free agents to make decisions.
Way back in 2019 when Bryce Harper made his blockbuster decision to sign with the Phillies it was made official down in Clearwater, because players and coaches were already reporting for the next season.
And while Kyle Schwarber's decision might not take until March of 2026, the NL MVP runner up is no where near deciding whether he wants to be a Phillie next season.
"The Phils have prioritized re-signing free agents Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto,"MLB.com's Todd Zolecki wrote this week. "The club and Schwarber are not close to a deal, according to sources. It isn’t a surprise at this time of year. Schwarber’s agents want to capitalize on his monstrous 2025 season in which he finished second for NL MVP behind Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. There’s no reason to rush it. But the lack of progress can be frustrating, while others wonder how long the Phils can wait."
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The biggest issue for the Phillies is that they can't really do anything else while they wait. Until they know Schwarber's intentions, they can't really get in on the Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman sweepstakes. And if they don't know how much they'll be spending on the DH spot they can't really gauge how much to spend in other areas.
For what it's worth, Zolecki does go on to say he believes the Phillies will ultimately end up with Schwarber. Is there an opportunity cost to waiting for him?
In addition to possibly missing out on the top free agents out there, they could be left out of some trade potentialities as well. MLB insider Jon Morosi mentioned the Phillies among teams with real interest in Diamondbacks slugger Ketel Marte. But it would be surprising if the Phillies made a splashy move like that without knowing about Schwarber's future.
"The Diamondbacks are actively listening."@jonmorosi has the latest on Ketel Marte potentially being traded this offseason 👀 pic.twitter.com/hjlD93EdqW
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 25, 2025
"I think it's at least a 50/50 chance that Ketel Marte is moved by the Diamondbacks," Morosi said in the clip above on MLB Network. "I talked to multiple sources on this in the last 24 hours. The Diamondbacks are actively listening on Ketel Marte. Nothing is close, but multiple teams have checked in. Among the teams to check in, the Phillies and the Blue Jays."
Marte played all 126 games in Arizona last season at second base — meaning that his acquisition would need to bring with it a second move, perhaps trading away Bryson Stott or Alec Bohm, each of whom is under contract with the Phillies. Marte is 31 and slashed .283/.376/.517 with 28 homers in 2024. He also came in third for NL MVP in 2023. He's won a Silver Slugger and was an All-Star in each of those two seasons.
Free agent activity could pick up after Thanksgiving when the owner's meetings commence on December 7 in Orlando.
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