The Philadelphia Phillies enter the offseason with one clear objective — re-signing Kyle Schwarber. The veteran slugger has long been a key part of the lineup, but with age becoming a factor, bringing him back is not without its risks.
“The Phillies shouldn’t give Schwarber a multi-year deal,” wrote TBOH’s Matt Grazel. “Losing him would hurt their offense, and the front office would have to find another power bat to replace him. But if they re-sign him and he declines, that’s a different kind of setback. Either way, there’s risk involved. Still, choosing not to re-sign Schwarber may be the bold move Dombrowski needs to make to truly shake up this roster — something that’s overdue.”
If Schwarber does return, Philadelphia could look to further boost its lineup by targeting Houston Astros star Kyle Tucker.
“Tucker, a 28-year-old four-time All-Star, remains in position for a massive payday despite some injury struggles and a dip in production during the second half,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote. “He’s still talented enough to land a major contract — and my prediction is that the Phillies will be the team to sign him.”
Tucker’s recent comments also suggest that the Chicago Cubs might no longer be in the running:
“We’ll see what happens. I don’t know what the future holds. If this is it, it’s been an honor playing with these guys. I wish everyone the best, whether we’re teammates next year or not,” Tucker said.
Given Philadelphia’s recent history of aggressive spending, it’s easy to envision them landing Tucker — unless the Los Angeles Dodgers outbid them.
If healthy, Tucker could make an already powerful Phillies lineup even stronger. Like many big moves, though, the potential reward comes with significant risk.
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