Monday night marked his forty-seventh consecutive game in which he got on base, making him the fourth-longest streak in Phillies history. Kyle Schwarber continues to win over fans across the greater Philadelphia area with his power, excellent eye, and talent at the plate. He is arguably the best Designated Hitter in the National League outside of Shohei Ohtani; however, there’s one difference between “the best” DH and Kyle Schwarber, and that is the fact that after this season, Schwarber will be a free agent, unless he and the Phillies can agree to an extension before the season is up. He and JT Realmuto, some of the core members of the team in the past few years, are both scheduled to hit free agency at the end of the 2025 season, and while Realmuto has started to decline a little bit, Schwarber has seemed just to get better since the Phillies signed him going into 2022. With this potentially being the last year the organization could run it back with the same core they had in their Cinderella-like World Series run, but this is most likely the previous year for this group of guys to play as a unit. In an ideal world, the Phils would bring back both Schwarber and Realmuto; that’s how it must be from a fan’s perspective, but that thought might not become a reality, especially for the Phillies’ veteran catcher.

With the team lacking depth at catcher, resigning JT, even if it was just for a one-year deal, wouldn’t be a terrible idea; however, there doesn’t seem to be much offensive upside to Realmuto’s game based on his 2025 numbers. Despite being a small sample size compared to the rest of his career, in his 128 plate appearances this season, he’s slashing a modest .250/.329/.391 with just thirty-two hits on the season. However, he has looked defensively like his all-star self with a 1.000 fielding percentage behind the dish with only one passed ball and has caught 11 players as they attempted to steal a bag, which is the second best in the MLB, just behind former NL All-Star, William Contreras of the Brewers. While other catchers will be on the market next season, the Phillies’ best option is still Realmuto (unless they make a trade, but more on that in a second). JT has spent the last few years catching for more or less the same rotation each season. With Nola, Wheeler, and Sanchez definitively on lock, and an expected contract extension for at least one of the two remaining starters, Luzardo and Ranger, coming in the next few months, it would be a no-brainer to resign your backstop to continue working with a pitching staff he’s familiar with. Should the Phillies sign him to a long-term deal like they did in 2019? Probably not. JT is approaching his 35-year-old season, which is about when most catchers retire. The one good thing about Realmuto is that he still wants to play. The only reason he is ever out of the Phillies’ starting lineup is because Thompson told him to take a day of rest. The benefits of bringing him back are undeniable, but if the option to pick up a catching prospect by this year’s trade deadline reveals itself, the Phillies could and should highly consider taking it, if this hypothetical catching prospect presents himself, perhaps in a deal that also includes some bullpen depth.

 

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However, if the Phillies are looking to cut their payroll, which is currently the fourth highest in the MLB, then Kyle Schwarber is the one batter they need to resign, so sorry, JT Realmuto. As a massive contributor to the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 World Series run, Schwarber had a solid six year tenure in the north side of Chicago, but found himself a free agent in 2020 where he signed a deal with the Washington Nationals for the 2021 season, but was then traded to the Boston Red Sox. Then, in 2022, despite being a major contributor for the Sox in the second half of the season prior, they did not re-sign him. He was then picked up by Philly that offseason, signing the four-year, $79 million contract we know he will be finishing out now. Going into the 2022 season, that signing was a franchise-altering one for the Phils, as Schwarber has easily had the best years of his career here in Philly. In the past four years, Schwarber has broken not just franchise records but set records too, and has easily been the best hitter in the 2025 Phillies lineup. Whether batting first or fourth, he’s consistently been able to put up impressive numbers, even on his “off year” in 2023, when he still hit 47 home runs.

Right now, Schwarber is one of the hottest hitters in the game. Outside of his ongoing on-base streak, he is tied for first in the MLB in home runs with 14, sixth in OPS with .985, and ninth in RBIs with 32 on the season. He has been so focused on helping the team win that he will continue to do whatever it takes to get on base. Not only has he been great on the field, but he’s also been an instrumental part of the clubhouse and in the community. From Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes to him making deals with local brands, he’s made a home for himself in Philadelphia, so let the man stay with his team. Much like Realmuto, he’s an older player, currently 32, and hasn’t played many games in the outfield since becoming a (pretty much) full-time DH for the Phillies in 2023; however, he still can play defensively, he doesn’t need to be locked into the Designated Hitter position exclusively, so if the Phils are in a pinch, he can still be platooned out there, although he has been more successful with his bat than his wheels or glovework. Regardless, there is hope that Dombrowski and the Phillies front office make a move and sign Schwarby to a deal sooner than amid free agency because of who he is represented by, so hopefully news of an extension will come sooner rather than later because if the Phillies lose him then they truly will be looking toward a rebuilding year in 2026. As long as the trio, if they’re all hitting well, of Turner, Harper, and Schwarber are still intact, then there will consistently remain hope for the Phillies to be an offensive threat.

There’s no question that the Phillies will be a postseason-contending team this season, but why wait to begin locking down the team going forward? Schwarber and Realmuto are not the only Phillies free agents this offseason, but they are the most notable, especially from a position player lens. Their roles are also so reliant on the two men in the positions now, especially at catcher. If they walk to play for another team this offseason, it will begin a new era in Philadelphia baseball that many are not ready for yet. Yes, if Schwarber does go to another team that of course opens the window for multiple remaining phillies to assume the DH role throughout the season, giving more options to the other veterans that will stay with the team for years to come, but if Schwarber’s still able to play out in left, then how is his production value any different than that of Bryce Harper or Nick Castellanos? If the Phillies were wise, they would lock down at least one of these two free agent stars, but that is all dependent upon whether or not the players themselves will want to test the waters of free agency, or if they know that Philly will be the final city of their career and want to retire in pinstripes.