Cincinnati Reds Top Free Agent Target Makes Decision

The Cincinnati Reds' top free agent target, Kyle Schwarber, has reportedly agreed to a five-year, $150 million deal to re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies, according to ESPN.com's Jeff Passan.

The Reds, Red Sox, Orioles, Mets, and Pirates were all teams trying to lure Schwarber away from Philadelphia.

The 32-year-old has slashed .231/.346/.500 with 340 home runs in 11 seasons. He's played for the Cubs, Phillies, Nationals, and Red Sox.

Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall spoke to reporters yesterday about the Schwarber rumors.

“Look, I think Cincinnati is a great place," Krall told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "It’s a great fanbase. You start with Opening Day. We’ve got a really good young nucleus of players. We’ve got a really good pitching staff. We made the playoffs last year, hoping to build off that. I think there are a lot of things that are positive that we do. Our coaching staff is really good. I’m just proud of who we are and the young talent we have to continue to work around.”

With Schwarber off the board, the Reds will need to go to their backup plan to improve their offense for 2026.

You can see Passan's full report below:

News: Kyle Schwarber is coming back to Philadelphia, agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract that gives the Phillies a much-needed power boost and should pave the way for more free agent signings in the coming weeks. All the details, free at ESPN: https://t.co/bdSF1J5atG
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 9, 2025