Phillies Sign OF Kyle Schwarber, 4 Yrs, $79 Million

[Taudawg]

Phillies have an agreement with Kyle Schwarber, pending all the usual stuff

Jim Salisbury

Phillies To Sign Kyle Schwarber

[julio]

#Phillies deal with Kyle Schwarber, pending physical, is a 4-year agreement with an AAV just under $20 million per year, sources tell The Athletic. @JSalisburyNBCS was on this

— Jayson Stark ( @jaysonst ) March 16, 2022

This would leave Phillies roughly $10 million shy of $230 mm luxury tax limit. Still some room to add another complementary bat. Brad Miller, their top reserve from 2021, is signing with Texas. https://t.co/rBUgdChowf

— Matt Gelb ( @MattGelb ) March 16, 2022

By Cot's numbers they are at $37.6M before the deal so even at $20 this puts them closer to $17M under.

Cot's has the arb estimates for Hoskins, Eflin, and Alvarado so those numbers could shift. https://t.co/SDBiCdvkj9

— Matt Winkelman March 16, 2022

[andyb]

Remember they will need several million dollars for disabled players because that puts another major league salary on the roster. So even if they are $17 million under their internal thinking probably has only about $10-$12 million left to spend absent any trades that subtract salaries.

While the limit expanded to $230 million from $210 million, some of the inputs (higher minimum salary, $1.67 million to the 0-3 bonus pool) means that there was only about $15 million of extra room beyond last season.

[phillychuck]

I like this signing. I just saw the Baseball Savant plot for him on another board, and it's very encouraging:

[Squire]

Love the player, like the contract.

[allentown]

A really good signing: they get the big lefty bat they need in the lineup, deal is for only 4 years, Schwarber showing no signs of slowing down with the bat. They have plenty of IFs for this season and best to stick with Didi and Segura for one more year, making RH Bryant a less-good and more expensive fit. A real win for DD -- honestly, I didn't think he could sign one of the big bats without having to pay for age 33 and 34 seasons.

[Philsmania]

Probably means no Bryant but there were a lot of signs out there that Rockies were pulling out all the stops to sign him up to the point that Rockies' owners are personally involved as Middleton was with Harper.

[Philsmania]

Oh, and years ago when RAJ was shopping Hamels, he demanded Schwarber back as part of the package. The Cubs said no and that Schwarber was untouchable.

[zambonir]

Too bad we didn't sign Schwarber last year. Seems like he was always the guy they wanted (cheaper, Long's favorite) over Bryant anyway.

Seidman notes he might actually be our best lead-off candidate.

Exploring 4 different Phillies lineup options with Kyle Schwarber

[ahb]

I always thought Schwarber was the best fit of the OF bats being discussed. I think he's the right fit for the team, particularly being reunited with Long.

Would have preferred a 3-year deal, obviously, but that wasn't gong to get it done given the competition. Still, at age 29, 4 years isn't terrible.

It will be interesting to see where Girardi slots him. I think he needs to be at the top of the lineup given his OBP skill (and the lack of those among the rest of the lineup). Right now, my lineup would be something like:

1. Hoskins (R): 1B/DH
2. Schwarber (L): LF/DH
3. Realmuto (R): C/DH
4. Harper (L): RF/DH
5. Bohm (R): DH/3B (pending ST, I'd give him a chance here at the start of the season)
6. Didi (L): 3B/SS
7. Segura (R): 2B
8. Odubal/Vierling (L/R): CF
9. Stott (L): SS/2B

That lineup has some serious upside (and some real downside too)

[andyb]

Schwarber as leadoff is intriguing (other than the base clogging speed). His OBP also held up pretty well last year against LHP even though his power dropped a lot. I do worry though that he'll go back to hitting .230 again (still with power) which would make the leadoff fit less good.

Imagine we'll see a bunch of Segura too at leadoff at least against LHP. Finally, Stott also has leadoff potential once they ease him in the lineup at the back. He should project as an above average OBP player and he should at least have average speed.

[julio]

Kyle Schwarber Phillies deal is $79M, 4 years

— Jon Heyman ( @JonHeyman ) March 16, 2022

[Austinfan]

That leaves CF as the only hole if Didi is hafway back, as they have Boh/Didi at 3B (Didi's diminished range won't matter as much), Didi/Stott at SS and full-time guys at the other positions.

It would really help if Kingery could rebound in terms of bench depth.

[saycheese]

Like this deal. He can play LF or 1st base or DH. I hope the Phillies are not done. Seems to me they need to add one more bat and a starting pitcher. But what do I know I am just some guy on a message board

[phillychuck]

IF they can afford Bryant he makes a sensible add as a bat that can stand next to the 3B bag on defense as effectively as either Bohm or Didi probably can.

[bkeich]

Schwarber is an interesting add. He is coming off his career season, my first thought was that we are paying for an high aberration season, but honestly it doesn’t really seem like we overpaid too bad. Obviously if he can even approach a .900 OPS this would be a really good add. He is a pretty big defensive liability, but we are looking at adding him as a LF. My only complaint is that in 3-4 years we are going to have a lot of guys that should be DH’s, but who knows who is still here then.

This may really be the worst defensive team in a long, long time. Harper is only really average at best, but he is our best defensive player other than Realmuto. If the ball goes forward when it is hit, we are in trouble.

That said, we desperately needed a LF, a better CF would be nice too, but it isn’t clear who that even could be at this point.

I really hope we add a starting pitcher now. Gibson’s spot should not be secure long term, but I suspect it is. (With 2 other starting pitchers questionable to start the season, one injury and one visa related, he is certainly secure for now). That said, I like Gibson more as a 6th starter, long reliever than a 4th / 5th starting pitcher.

[andyb]

It does seem that they are going to have to let Rhys Hoskins go after his arbitration years are up as there will be many DH candidates at that time. Hoskins is pretty important to this lineup though as the right-handed power complement to Harper and Schwarber. It would be nice for Bohm to take a step forward but not sure we can count on that.

[bkeich]

Unfortunately I think we really, really need Bohm to return to at least manageable. He doesn’t have to hit .322 again, but at least a .750 OPS. We need it financially if nothing else, adding a $20M 3B just can’t be fit.

[Aquapong]

Yeah that was my thought before last year even. But then we just signed a similar guy but a lefty for big money. Like I’ve already said, we can’t keep stacking up DH guys. We need to keep that spot open to rotate guys through unless we have an elite hitter that can’t field.

[zambonir]

That leaves CF as the only hole if Didi is hafway back, as they have Boh/Didi at 3B (Didi's diminished range won't matter as much), Didi/Stott at SS and full-time guys at the other positions.

Much as I'd like to see some other options for CF I think for now we have to assume it's set, and it doesn't have to be a hole. Herrera put up 1.8 WAR in just 492 PAs after not playing a lick of real baseball for almost two years. He could be a 3.0 WAR player (if offense improves and defense holds) or a 1.0 WAR player (if neither happens) but either way that's not nothing, especially if Vierling can give you 0.8-1.2 WAR off the bench.

We can all agree they seem to need a starting pitcher, but are there are any out there? Only two guys left on the MLBTR Top 50: Greinke and Danny Duffy.

Next batch is Tyler Anderson (hey, they wanted him), Cueto and Michael Pineda.

A bat and Bailey Falter in the rotation seems more likely. Though I suppose there will be minor league deal options out there.