Cubs' Top Kyle Schwarber Competition Is NL Central Rival

Since Kyle Tucker is all but guaranteed not to re-sign with the Chicago Cubs this offseason, many Cubs fans want their team to pivot to signing slugger Kyle Schwarber instead.

Chicago's pursuit of Schwarber would make sense for several reasons. For one, the fact that he hit .240 with a .928 OPS, 56 home runs, and 132 RBIs with the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2025 regular season (which was enough to make him the runner-up for the 2025 NL MVP Award) shows that he'd be a massive asset in any MLB team's lineup.

Not to mention that he's also a left-handed hitter like Tucker, which would help balance out the middle of the Cubs' order.

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) looks on during an October 8, 2025 game — Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

But the main reason why Cubs fans would probably prefer Schwarber over some of the other sluggers available is sentimental. The 32-year-old spent the first six seasons of his MLB career on Chicago's North Side and was integral in the Cubs capturing the 2016 World Series title.

Now he has an opportunity to return to the team nearly a decade later and try to cement himself as an all-time great with the franchise.

Insider Asserts Cincinnati Reds Are "Serious" in Signing Kyle Schwarber

While plenty of teams are expected to be in play for Schwarber this winter, reports from earlier this week indicated that his most likely landing spot is with the Phillies once again.

However, things now may have changed, which Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic conveyed in a December 3 article. He noted that the Cubs' NL Central rival, the Cincinnati Reds, are "serious" about signing Schwarber.

And given that he was born and raised in Middletown, Ohio, which is about 35 miles north of Cincinnati, there is a sentiment that Schwarber could be interested in playing for his hometown team.

Rosenthal did add that the biggest issue is that the Phillies are almost certainly going to offer Schwarber more money than Cincinnati. And this would likely be a similar problem with the Cubs, who are notorious for not being willing to give star players the big free agency contract that other teams (like the Phillies, the Mets, and the Dodgers in the NL) have been willing to do in recent years.

MORE: Cubs’ Starting Pitcher Hunt Now Centered On 3 Free-Agent Targets

The Reds have serious interest in Kyle Schwarber, and Schwarber is interested in a potential homecoming, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/tQphCb4VMw
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 3, 2025

There's a case to be made that if there was ever a player for Chicago to break the bank on, it's Schwarber. This is because of his past with the Cubs, combined with that he's projected to get a six-year, $154 million deal this winter, which should be in Chicago's price range.

Then again, the Cubs need a quality starting pitcher and bullpen pieces more than another hitter, which is what ultimately might lead them away from pursuing Schwarber the same way other teams will.

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