Not that there was any doubt before, but you can officially count Bryce Harper among the people who want to see Kyle Schwarber stay with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies' first baseman said as much to the team's MLB.com beat writer, Todd Zolecki.

“I don’t want him to go anywhere else,” Harper told him. “And that’s not me saying anything to ownership or Dave [Dombrowski]. Obviously, they want him to. And I think he wants to be here. I think he likes the community. He likes where he lives. But also, you know, it’s nice to be wanted.”

Schwarber, now in his 11th Major League season, is due to hit free agency at the end of the year, and he's making the most of the last season on his contract. Through 40 games, he is tied with Aaron Judge for the Major League lead in home runs (14) and is hitting for a .998 OPS.

He has helped carry the Phillies to a 24-16 record, putting them a game-and-a-half behind the New York Mets in the NL East.

“I was talking to somebody the other day,” Harper added. “And I was like, ‘Man, it would be weird not to have [Schwarber] in our clubhouse.’ He’s such a good leader. He’s such a good person in the community. Great family, great person. I think he’s a guy that obviously our team can build around.

Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber's free agent value

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Schwarber is in the final year of a four-year contract he signed with the Phillies in 2022, worth $79 million. As ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote last week, it's not unthinkable that the 32-year-old DH could command $100 million in this round of free agency.

“He is terminally productive,” Passan wrote. “He is an exceptional clubhouse leader. Nobody would blink at giving him $25 million a year, and a four-year ask, particularly in a class weak on high-end bats, is eminently reasonable.”

As Schwarber continues to mash, he continues to become more attractive to potential suitors. His strikeout rate so far in 2025 is a career-low 20.8% while his walk rate has inched up to 16.3%, over two points above his career average.

Harper also seemed to recognize Schwarber's free agent value.

“Obviously, he’s going to make a lot of money [as a free agent],” he said. “He’s going to be a very hot commodity on the market. He’s a guy that hits homers. He’s a great clubhouse guy and a leader. I hope he doesn’t get [to free agency]. He’s a guy that we can use for the next few years.”