The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t just tiptoe into the Kyle Schwarber sweepstakes – they kicked the door down with a whopping four-year offer worth more than $100 million. It’s the biggest free-agent proposal in the franchise’s history. But even that offer by Bob Nutting might not be enough. According to an insider, all that money may still leave them empty-handed!

ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle, without mincing words, said, “I’ll say Schwarber will sign with his hometown Cincinnati Reds… His swing is perfect for Great American Ball Park… give Schwarber five healthy seasons at that park and he’ll reach 500 career bombs.”

That’s the sting, a bitter snub for the Pittsburgh Pirates and a massive blow for the Phillies, who now risk losing their most important slugger to a $1.325 billion division rival.

Now it’s no surprise why the Phillies want him back—Schwarber roared into the open market with 187 homers in four seasons; it’s the second most in baseball during that stretch. Meanwhile, this season he has been out of the roof too, posting a .240/.365/.563 slash line with 56 homers, 132 RBI, and even 10 steals.

Players who put up numbers like that don’t walk into free agency unnoticed. They get hunted, and yes—they cost a lot more. Tim Britton projected five years and $145 million for Schwarber, so even the Pirates’ aggressive $116-ish million push fell short.

Meanwhile, the Reds offer something more than money– home. See, Schwarber grew up just 35 miles from Cincinnati, and historically the Great American Ballpark has been a paradise for lefty power hitters—producing more visiting lefty homers than any stadium in baseball over the last five years. In fact, Schwarber himself has hinted at a possible homecoming recently!

Add in the fact that the Reds are hungry to contend in the NL Central, and you get why Dolittle is saying what he is– because the Reds are a major threat in the Schwarber race.

If Schwarber walks, what’s next for the Phillies?

Right now, the uncomfortable question the Phillies want to think of is– what’s Plan B if Schwarber leaves? Because with multiple teams rounding their star in red, a return is far from ideal. So, a backup plan needs to be put in place, and the plan starts with maybe going bog.

If Schwarber signs elsewhere, the Philadelphia Phillies could pivot to the other top left-handed bats in the market, like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. Tucker would be the dream fit, but Bellinger seems a more realistic match, given he is already on Philadelphia’s list.

Cody Bellinger is also coming off a strong 2025 season, and he brings more than pop—he brings versatility. He can play all three outfield positions, and this makes him valuable for the Phillies, who will be short on outfielders with Harrison Bader and Max Kepler gone and Nick Castellanos likely on the move.

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Now, if the free-agent market doesn’t work out, then the Phillies could shift towards the trade market. This is where someone like Jarren Duran enters the chat. He has been in the rumors for over a year, and he is under team control for three more seasons. He can get with him that speed, the defensive versatility, and the extra base power needed. Sure, his numbers have dipped in 2025, but 3.9 WAR doesn’t lie either.

If nothing works, then maybe the Phillies can play a bold card—Pete Alonso. Replacing Schwarber with Alonso is like the cleanest swap ever. Plus, that bonus satisfaction of stealing a star from a division rival doesn’t hurt. With Alonso at first base and DH alongside Bryce Harper, the lineup could be lethal.

It remains to be seen what Philadelphia really is planning behind the scenes.