Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jeff Passan published a large preview of the MLB offseason that touched upon many of the top storylines to keep track of over the winter. Within it, Passan added some reporting
regarding the early stages of the markets for many of the top free agents, including Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto.
Here’s what Passan had to say about Schwarber:
“The demand for Schwarber is high, which is no surprise considering he won’t get more than a five-year deal because of his age and positional inflexibility as a full-time designated hitter. Of course, when you hit like Schwarber, neither age nor position matters. Teams have made that abundantly clear, all the way from the obvious suitors (the Philadelphia Phillies are fiending to re-sign him) and the not-so-obvious (yes, Pittsburgh is in on Schwarber as well).
Because of his production and leadership skills, Schwarber fits just about anywhere. The Boston Red Sox are still kicking themselves for letting him go after 2021. The New York Mets stealing him from Philadelphia would be a coup. The Toronto Blue Jays want a left-handed complement to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Cincinnati is 40 minutes south of where Schwarber grew up. The Detroit Tigers need some thump in their lineup.“
And here’s Passan’s note about Realmuto:
“J.T. Realmuto, catcher: The only full-time starting-caliber free agent catcher, Realmuto should have high interest that includes returning to Philadelphia or decamping to any number of teams looking to upgrade at the position. At age 35 on Opening Day, Realmuto won’t demand more than two years, putting the three-time All-Star in play for playoff teams and aspirants alike.”
With these notes, we can begin to see what the Phillies’ competition looks like for their biggest free agents. In Schwarber’s case, it would appear that the Phillies are still the favorite, but the market is robust. We’ve heard all about the Reds and Schwarber before, but the Pirates, Red Sox, Mets, Blue Jays, and Tigers are new. Each have varying degrees of plausibility, but so far this is the definitive list of teams directly linked to Schwarber.
In Realmuto’s case, we get the sense that he will likely receive a two-year deal, exactly the type of deal that the Phillies should be looking for with the aging catcher. But we also get a sense that Realmuto may be even more popular than Schwarber, as he is the best available in an extremely weak crop of free agent catchers and the short-term nature of his next contract doesn’t limit his potential suitors as the possible five years for Schwarber might.
There will surely be more rumors about the pair as we move throughout the winter, but this is the first drop of information from a well-connected and trusted national reporter. After digesting this information, what is your confidence level in Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto returning to the Phillies? Is it higher or lower than it was at the beginning of the offseason? Has Passan’s reporting made you feel better or worse? Are there any surprises among the reported potential suitors besides the Pirates?
