Kyle Schwarber, who hit a National League-best 56 home runs in 2025, is heading back to the Philadelphia Phillies, agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract Dec. 9, according to a baseball official familiar with the agreement. The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized.
Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, closed out his four-year, $79 million contract with Philadelphia in epic fashion, setting a career-high in home runs and leading the major leagues with 132 RBIs to finish second in NL MVP voting. He averaged nearly 47 home runs and posted an .856 OPS in his four years with Philly.
That set him up as one of the most coveted sluggers on the free-agent market this winter, and the Phillies decided they could not live without his peerless slugging ability and clubhouse leadership.
The commitment continues a mid-career renaissance for Schwarber, a star with the Chicago Cubs and a member of their 2016 World Series champion club. But the Cubs non-tendered Schwarber after the shortened 2020 season.
Since then, it’s been increasingly difficult to keep Schwarber in the ballpark.
He’s hit 219 home runs since the start of the 2021 season, behind only Aaron Judge (249) and Shohei Ohtani (233). Schwarber’s hit 340 homers in his career, and should pass the 400-homer plateau in 2027.
Schwarber was also lauded by the Phillies for his clubhouse presence, thanks to an ability to connect with players of all ages. Though almost exclusively a designated hitter nowadays, Schwarber produced 3.5 and 4.7 WAR the past two seasons.
That created a robust market for the slugger, who’d already received a reported four-year, $120 million deal from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles and others were also in the running for his services.
But a Schwarber return to Philly was viewed in the industry as about as close to a fait accompli as these transactions get. He’s been a perfect fit for the city – even garnering an endorsement deal from area minimart powerhouse Wawa – and in the Phillies’ lineup.
Schwarber joins Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, Trea Turner, Aaron Nola and Nick Castellanos in the Phillies’ nine-figure contract club. The team is expected to trade or release Castellanos – entering the final year of a five-year, $100 million deal – and upgrade in right field.