The Baltimore Orioles remain deep in the hunt for Kyle Schwarber, and momentum keeps building after ESPN insider Buster Olney reported that the All-star slugger could be the first superstar position player to come off the board at the Winter Meetings. His update adds new urgency to a race that already includes the Philadelphia Phillies, who want to keep Schwarber’s bat in the heart of their order. With negotiations tightening and the market growing louder by the day, the Orioles’ chase for Schwarber now feels like a countdown.
Buster Olney’s note arrives with weight because, once again, teams like to Orioles expect hitters to move early. To start with, Schwarber fits that mold. He posted a .240/.365/.563 slash line last season, blasted 56 home runs, and drove in 132 runs. He finished second in NL MVP voting behind Shohei Ohtani. Furthermore, on a national stage, he delivered again. In the All-Star Game, Schwarber stepped into the special tiebreaker swing-off with the score tied 6–6 after nine innings. That performance reminded contenders like the Orioles why his market moves fast. He launched three home runs, lifting the National League to a 4–3 win and earning All-Star Game MVP honors. As a result, nights like that follow him. They define why teams chase him.
How the Orioles intensify their Kyle Schwarber push at the Winter Meetings
The Phillies won’t give ground to the Orioles easily. They know his power changes the shape of games and entire series. Teams fear him at the plate. Fans feel his presence from the first pitch. And under stadium lights, Schwarber brings a rhythm that few hitters can match. That’s why the Orioles remain locked in from the start. Their front office sees the same threat. Their young core keeps rising, and yet adding Schwarber would give the Orioles a bat that anchors a postseason lineup.
In the end, the Winter Meetings always deliver one move that shakes the room. So naturally, if Kyle Schwarber becomes the first big splash and picks the Orioles, how wild does the aftermath get?
