Kyle Schwarber's market is heating up. Find out which contenders are reportedly pursuing the slugger as Cubs silence continues.
News has been quiet on the Cubs side since they signed reliever Phil Maton to a multi-year deal last month. There haven’t been many reports or rumors surrounding the team and what players the front office might be targeting in free agency.
One player that all Cubs fans would love to hear news about is Kyle Schwarber. He is at the top of a lot of fans’ wishlists this winter. Well, ESPN insider Jeff Passan provided us with some insight on Schwarber’s free agent market late on Sunday night.
Unfortunately, the Cubs aren’t one of the teams that Passan mentions as being currently in on Schwarber.
“The bellwether of the class. Schwarber’s market is healthy. He’s going to get years, and he’s going to get AAV, and at this point, he might be the likeliest of the big free agents to sign first. Unclear if something gets done before the meetings, but I’d be surprised if they end and he doesn’t have a team. The Phillies remain the favorite, with Boston, Cincinnati, the Mets, and others in the mix."
While the Cubs could still be in the mix, it appears that the Phillies, Red Sox, Reds, and Mets are the current favorites to sign Schwarber this offseason. That could definitely change over the next week, but the North Siders have to move fast because Passan believes a deal could come by the Winter Meetings.
With the Winter Meetings lasting from December 7 to December 10, there’s a possibility that Schwarber is the next big-time free agent off the board.
Signing Schwarber would be a massive addition to a Cubs lineup that is already dangerous. The 32-year-old hit a career-high 56 home runs while driving in a personal-best 132 runs across 162 games with the Phillies in 2025.
It all comes down to whether the front office is willing to outspend teams like the Phillies, Mets, and Red Sox. Even though Schwarber is on the older side, the 11-year veteran is still set to command a $100-plus million contract this free agent cycle.
MLB Trade Rumors has Schwarber signing a five-year, $135 million deal this offseason. That $27 million per season might draw the Cubs away from his market, considering they only have roughly $50 million to spend until the first luxury tax.
Hopefully, though, the Cubs are somewhat in the mix for Schwarber. He would elevate this offense and give the team a power bat at the top of their lineup. Chicago hasn’t had a player hit over 40 home runs in a season since Derrek Lee hit 46 homers in 2005.
Schwarber would certainly change that.