Veteran slugger Kyle Schwarber hit unrestricted free agency this offseason before ultimately re-signing with the Philadelphia Phillies, which went against Phillies star Bryce Harper's expectation. The 32-year-old explained his prediction on Sunday, via NBC Sports Philadelphia.

“I thought Kyle was going to go to Cincinnati to tell you the truth," he said. "I thought it was a done deal going to Cincinnati just because being at home and things like that. Obviously I didn't know. We kind of messed with him the whole time about him going back home and playing in front of his fan base."

Schwarber hails from Middletown, Ohio, which is 45 minutes from Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Reds needed more juice in its lineup around star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, and Schwarber was the perfect man for the hire. The 5-foot-11, 229-pounder was second in baseball with 56 homers, first with 132 RBIs, and sixth with a .928 OPS last season. He has also hit 30-plus home runs in each year since 2019, except the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

However, Schwarber signed a five-year, $150 million deal to stay with the Phillies in December, where he's been since 2022. The Reds then signed fellow slugger Eugenio Suarez almost two months later to a one-year, $15 million contract with a $16 million mutual option for 2027, per Spotrac. The 34-year-old was fifth with 49 homers, sixth with 118 RBIs, and 31st with an .824 OPS last season.

Suarez isn't from Ohio, but he's still a familiar face. The 5-foot-11, 213-pounder played for the Reds from 2015 to 2021 and produced three seasons with 30-plus homers in that span. He topped out with 49 longballs in 2019.

Suarez should help a Cincinnati offense that finished 21st with 167 homers and tied for 19th with a .706 OPS last season. But Schwarber still would've been a better investment, as he signed a long-term deal and is a better all-around hitter.

Suarez depends more on home runs, and Schwarber is still better at that. Suarez had a .228 batting average against Schwarber's .240 and just 46 walks against Schwarber's 108 last season, for example. Suarez also had 134 hits against Schwarber's 145 even though Schwarber played just three more games.

Missing out on Schwarber is hardly a death sentence for the Reds, but missing out on the hometown hero possibly spending his final seasons with them could be extra bittersweet if he keeps slugging like he did in 2025.