The Phillies’ resident of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, admitted that, “He’s great. I can’t say one bad thing about Kyle Schwarber…..We’d love to have him back in the organization for years to come. No, it probably won’t be easy.” Even Kerry Miller from the Bleacher Report argued for the team to re-sign Kyle Schwarber this offseason. But it might really not be easy.

This is simply because of the big bucks Schwarber will demand this offseason. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden projected the veteran would sign a massive $160 million deal this winter. And then, Tim Britton projected a 5-year, $145 million deal, which would make the Phillies’ Schwarber decision even tougher.

As the Phillies swallow this tough pill, the scope of their financial strain becomes clearer.

Schwarber’s value on the open market has increased dramatically, all thanks to his 40-homer consistency (2022, 23, and 25). The star has also delivered an unforgettable 2025 season. For instance, in Game 3 of the NLDS vs. the Dodgers, Kyle overcame his dry spell with 2 home runs, including a 455-foot blast, to seize the Phillies’ victory and also help them avoid an early series exit. 

This season, throwing fastballs to Schwarber was totally a bad decision. His 35 homers against fastballs were the third-most in the Majors, only behind the 39 homers of Cal Raleigh and also Aaron Judge’s 36 long balls. 

Evidently, such a performance will definitely attract other big-market clubhouses.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicted that the Mets would be a great fit for Schwarber, and they would love to steal the veteran from the Phillies. “Players are a lot less loyal than we’d like to believe. Starling Marte was the Mets’ primary DH, and he’s a free agent, plus consider: The Mets signed Soto and Alonso had a better season — yet they still scored two fewer runs than in 2024. It was an above-average offense, fifth in the NL in runs, but it wasn’t a great offense. Adding Schwarber could take it to the next level.”

Tim Britton also emphasized that the shifting landscape related to DH might increase Schwarber’s free agency value even more. 

At the time of Schwarber’s last deal (2022), the designated hitter market value was not that sky-high; not a single DH had won an MVP or received more than $22 million. But Shohei Ohtani’s 2024 historic performance, where he led the NL with 134 scored runs, 130 RBIs, 54 homers, as well as a slugging percentage of .646, raised the bar for DH value in the market. And now, that can directly impact what Schwarber may ask for. 

With Kyle Schwarber himself providing a career-best campaign in 2025, the veteran is no longer linked with the late-career deal. Instead, Schwarber’s next deal is more comparable to J.D. Martinez. He secured a $22 million deal in 2018 with the Red Sox after coming off his best career stretch: 29 homers in 62 games with the Diamondbacks. That’s where Britton explains Schwarber’s value further. 

“Updating that contract for 2026 pushes the money close to $29 million per season. Schwarber could surpass $30 million on a shorter-term deal, but I think he can get to five years at the Martínez money.”

So, for Dombrowski, the dilemma is not just whether the Phillies want Kyle Schwarber back; it is whether the Phillies can afford the veteran. Because according to FanGraphs, their 2026 estimated payroll would be $228M. 

And the Schwarber decision is not the only vital financial crossroads awaiting the Phillies.

The Phillies are predicted to pursue Alex Bregman as a costly upgrade over Alec Bohm

MassLive’s Christopher Smith has linked the Phillies to two-time World Series champion Alex Bregman, who has freshly opted out of his deal and is expected to control a massive contract of his own. Smith thinks, “Dave Dombrowski is expected to have an active offseason after Philadelphia lost to the Dodgers in the NLDS….. Would it surprise anyone if he overpays for a veteran leader who knows what it takes to win a World Series?”

Bregman’s solid performance in the 2025 season includes his first All-Star nod since 2019, making him one of the top infielders available, and his postseason pedigree checks every box for a win-now franchise. 

Bregman’s addition to the team would likely be the end of Alec Bohm’s run in the Phillies, regardless of his All-Star season just a year earlier.

In 2025, Bohm’s OPS slipped by almost 40 points, and trade rumors emerged even before the season ended. If the Phillies choose to go for Bregman, and also the re-signing of Schwarber, they would be reshaping their core at a premium cost.

So, the Phillies’ offseason looks less like adding pieces and more like deciding how much they are willing to pay to keep their identity intact. Single-handedly, the re-signing of Kyle Schwarber could cost around $145 million (spread through 5 years, as per rumors), and adding Alex Bregman will only raise that. Baseball America projects him to sign a 6-year, $180M deal.

The front office can now either spend big to stay elite or watch their roster that sparked their recent success slowly fall apart.