The Toronto Blue Jays were painfully close to winning the World Series in 2025. After losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers, they should be big players in the offseason. Previously, they put their hats in the ring but did not win the chases for the biggest names. Now, the Blue Jays should bid for home-run slugger Kyle Schwarber in free agency, signing him to a four-year, $112 million deal.
Schwarber hit 56 homers and knocked in 132 runs for the Philadelphia Phillies, both of which led the National League. Those totals landed him a distant second in the NL MVP race, but it was a perfect season to ride into free agency. With the Phillies needing a jolt, they could let Schwarber walk and make some trades in a busy offseason. That should lead to a big contract offer from the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays' October magic came from some expected heroes and some unexpected ones. Vladimir Guerrero Jr earned his $500 million contract with some epic postseason homers. But it was Ernie Clement who set the single postseason record for hits. Designated hitter George Springer hit the big home run that clinched the American League Championship Series, but a new DH could be coming to town.
Springer did play some outfield, and 2025 free-agent signing Anthony Santander can as well. Schwarber has not played much outfield in recent years, and his catching days are long behind him. This would create a logjam, but could be beneficial to the offense, especially late in the season.
Springer's contract has just one year left on it, so this logjam would be just a one-year problem. Replacing him with Schwarber would be an upgrade, even after an MVP-caliber season from the Connecticut product. The Blue Jays should be thinking about the future, not just 2026. And that is what a Schwarber deal would signal.
Who are the Blue Jays competing against for Kyle Schwarber?
This deal would pay Schwarber $28 million per year through his age-36 season. It is a comparable deal to the one they gave Springer to get him to Toronto in the first place. That was a six-year deal that paid the then-31-year-old $24.167 million through his age-36 season. But after seeing the success of the Springer deal and Schwarber's great year in 2025, there will be plenty of teams vying for his services.
The Phillies may bring Schwarber back, as he is a fan favorite and far from the October problem in Philadelphia. They have the money to spend, especially with JT Realmuto also coming off the books, and could keep Schwarber. If that is the direction they decide to go, Schwarber could return to Philly.
Schwarber is one of the few high-priced free agents for whom you can't mention the Los Angeles Dodgers as a potential suitor. Their designated hitter spot is taken up by some guy named Shohei Ohtani. We'll see if that works out for them! But their biggest rivals, the San Diego Padres, should put their hats in the ring for Schwarber. A potential sale could get in the way, but more homers and replacing Luis Arraez as the DH would be a strong move.
There should be plenty of small-market teams vying for Schwarber because of the short-term nature of his deal. The Pittsburgh Pirates, Athletics, and Los Angeles Angels would all benefit from having his bat in the lineup and voice in the clubhouse. But the current state of MLB doesn't lead many insiders to believe a small-market team will pay up for a free agent. They are waiting for a salary cap to bail them out of their current malaise.
The Blue Jays are in a great position to win the Kyle Schwarber free agency race, with a four-year deal worth $112 million. They have the money to spend and the core to win, so there is no better time than now.
