There is little doubt that Kyle Schwarber is one of the most valuable free agents to hit the market this year. He has been a dynamic player for the Philadelphia Phillies for the last four seasons, and he has been immensely productive. Schwarber has played outfield at several points in his career, but the 32-year-old figures to be a designated hitter throughout the majority of his career going forward.
Could giving a full-time DH in Kyle Schwarber a large contract hamstring a team?
There's always risk with those kinds of deals, but it's an excellent gamble to take with Schwarber, says @ByRobertMurray. pic.twitter.com/omwlvqz5xF
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 20, 2025
While that's clearly a limitation for the team that ends up signing him and inserting him into the middle of the lineup, Major League Baseball insider Robert Murray believes that Schwarber offers so much power and the ability to produce offense that he is clearly worth the big money will cost to sign him to a lucrative contract.
Murray spoke with Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and while he did not mention Schwarber, he clearly values the damage that the Phillies slugger can bring to any lineup. “When you have an elite player such as David Ortiz, you can make him your DH,” Murray quoted Breslow as saying. “With Schwarber, that's a really good gamble to take.”
Schwarber is one of baseball's most intimidating hitters. The powerful left-handed hitter led the National League in home runs last season 2ith 56 home runs and 132 runs batted in. He struck out 197 times, but he is one of the few players who can hold his value despite failing to make contact on nearly 28 percent of his plate appearances.
Red Sox likely to have involvement in the pursuit of Schwarber
The Phillies are not going to let Schwarber go without a fight, but the Red Sox and other teams are likely to pursue the slugger in a serious manner.
Schwarber had one partial season at Fenway Park, and he was quite productive in Boston. He also reportedly enjoyed his time with the Red Sox and his ability to hit with power to all fields would play well at Fenway.
The days of Schwarber playing the outfield or any other position in the field appear to be over, but he could be a player that puts the Red Sox or any other team that he signs with over the top.
