The Philadelphia Phillies are bracing for the possibility of losing Kyle Schwarber next winter.
Schwarber has solidified his place as one of the premier power hitters in the league, consistently being a major presence in the Phillies’ lineup over the past few seasons.
With at least 38 home runs in each of his seasons with the team — including two seasons with over 46 — there’s no doubt a team will be ready to make him a significant offer.
The big questions for the Phillies are whether that team will be them and what kind of contract Schwarber will receive.
In response to this, Ken Rosenthal, during an episode of “Foul Territory,” suggested that Schwarber could land a deal similar to Teoscar Hernandez’s contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is a three-year, $66 million deal.
“This is one that is going to be a talking point all season and into the offseason. Kyle Schwarber is one of the elite home run hitters in the game. Yet, Kyle Schwarber next season is 33, so a three-year deal would cover his ages 33, 34, and 35 seasons. You go to four years, that covers his age 36 season.
“I tried to find comps… and the one I came up with is Teo Hernandez. Now, Teo Hernandez, unlike Schwarber, is not a DH, he’s an outfielder… But he gives you some defensive value,” Rosenthal said.
Hernandez, 32, posted a line of .272/.339/.501 with 33 home runs and a 137 OPS+ last season.
Schwarber, on the other hand, finished with a .248/.366/.485 line, also with a 137 OPS+ and 38 home runs. He led the league in walks.
Statistically, the two are quite similar, making Hernandez’s contract a potential benchmark for the Phillies if they want to retain the Ohio native.
