Inside The Cubs

Kyle Schwarber Free Agency Update Spells Trouble For Cubs

Chicago Cubs fans won't like this sentiment about Kyle Schwarber's free agency situation.
Grant Young|
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

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Given that it's highly unlikely that Kyle Tucker is going to re-sign with the Chicago Cubs this offseason (as he's expected to command around $400 million in free agency, which Chicago won't come close to matching), many fans are hoping Jed Hoyer and the rest of the Cubs' front office will instead sign the other slugger named Kyle on the market.

This is Kyle Schwarber, of course, who is coming off a 2025 season with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he hit .240 with a .928 OPS, 56 home runs, and 132 RBIs.

This would make for a long-awaited reunion, as Schwarber began his professional career with the Cubs' organization, worked his way up through the farm system, and ultimately spent six MLB seasons in Chicago, including when the Cubs won the 2016 World Series.

Schwarber makes a ton of sense as a potential replacement for Tucker. While he doesn't bring the same defensive capabilities and is a few years older (which is largely why he could command half of what Tucker is expected to receive), he's one of baseball's premier left-handed hitters and would fit like a glove in the middle of Chicago's lineup.

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

While the Cubs would appear to be a great fit for Schwarber, just about every MLB team could use a guy who hit 56 home runs last season. Therefore, there's sure to be plenty of competition when it comes to securing his services this winter.

Kyle Schwarber Free Agency Report Doesn't Bode Well For Cubs

While Schwarber is going to generate a lot of interest across the league, there's no question that the Phillies are going to try to retain him. In fact, there have been multiple reports that re-signing him and catcher J.T. Realmuto remain the team's top priorities this offseason.

And in a November 25 article, MLB.com's Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki asserted that the belief within and around Philadelphia's organization is that Schwarber is going to re-sign with the team.

The fact that Zolecki doesn't sound overly concerned about the prospect of Schwarber leaving Philadelphia doesn't bode well for the Cubs. Chicago still seems to have a chance of prying Schwarber away, but a player's most recent team typically has an edge in negotiations, and this would presumably be the case with Schwarber.

There's a lot that can change very quickly in MLB's hot stove, and the Cubs can keep the faith that their team might end up with one of these left-handed free agents named Kyle this winter.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Boxing, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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