The Philadelphia Phillies once again captured the center of the baseball news cycle on Tuesday afternoon, December 9, 2025, as they finalized a five-year, $150 million contract with designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, securing one of the most powerful bats of the modern era through the 2030 season. The agreement immediately became one of the biggest stories of the 2025 MLB offseason, and grew even further when Schwarber posted his first public message on Instagram after the signing. His post read: “Philly! We can’t tell you how excited we are! Can’t wait to keep riding with you guys and to get the job done 🤟.”
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The new deal followed a 2025 season in which Schwarber hit 56 home runs, recorded 128 RBIs, and earned another Silver Slugger Award while finishing second in National League MVP voting behind Shohei Ohtani. His performance line of .240/.365/.563 across 162 games included an NL-high 56 home runs.
As news of the contract circulated, sportsbooks kept Philadelphia’s existing World Series odds steady. DraftKings continued listing the team around +1100 to win the 2026 World Series. FanDuel, BetMGM, PointsBet, Caesars, and aggregated boards listed Philadelphia in the same range. Because sportsbooks had already placed the Phillies among the early favorites, Schwarber’s return fit into the pricing already on the board.
Meanwhile, Schwarber’s individual futures briefly paused until sportsbooks repost new lines. During the 2025 season, FanDuel listed him at +165 in the home run race and later at -110 as he moved ahead. MVP markets also tightened during the year as he trailed Ohtani. Once props reopen, sportsbooks will base new lines on the same statistical record that shaped his placement during the 2025 season.
Team futures remained consistent even as other clubs made major moves, including Baltimore landing Pete Alonso on a five-year, $155 million contract. Schwarber’s official return kept Philadelphia aligned with the level of offseason activity sportsbooks had already incorporated.
Later in the week, Schwarber spoke to reporters, including MLB Network, and discussed why he chose to return to Philadelphia. He said: “I know that there’s a lot of unfinished business to be had there [in Philadelphia] and I wanna see this through.” He confirmed that the Baltimore Orioles offered him the same five-year, $150 million deal. He also mentioned the Cincinnati Reds as another option. During the interview, he added: “I want to win a World Series in Philadelphia, and I want to win more than one.”
Schwarber referenced his postseason experience, stating that he had reached the playoffs in 10 of his 11 Major League seasons, missing only in 2019 with the Chicago Cubs. Since joining the Phillies in 2022, he has been part of four straight postseason trips, including the 2022 World Series.
Across his four seasons in Philadelphia, Schwarber has slashed .226/.349/.507 with 187 home runs and 434 RBIs. He hit an NL-leading 56 home runs in 2025, hit more than 40 in two other seasons with the Phillies, and delivered three consecutive 100-plus RBI seasons, including an MLB-leading 132 RBIs in 2025. He has drawn 426 walks and has three straight 100-walk seasons while striking out 809 times during his Phillies tenure.
Financial details of the agreement show that the Phillies already had $237.7 million committed to the 2026 payroll. Schwarber’s $30 million average annual salary raises that number to $267.7 million, which places the club over the $244 million competitive balance tax threshold. His previous contract was a four-year, $79 million agreement signed in March 2022. Extension discussions before free agency did not result in a deal. Schwarber’s two best seasons by FanGraphs WAR came in the two years leading up to this contract, including a career-high 150 OPS+ in 2025. He has hit at least 30 home runs in each of his four Phillies seasons, more than he produced across his first seven years combined.
Philadelphia’s decision aligns with the approach of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, whose work in trades and long-term contracts has contributed to postseason appearances in each of the past three seasons, including a World Series trip in 2022. Schwarber has been central to that period of success since his arrival.
During his interview, Schwarber also said: “My worst nightmare is going home on Sept. 30 or whenever Game 162 is and you’re going home. I’ve been to 10 postseasons out of 11 seasons, and I don’t want to go home. I want the opportunity to play deep into a postseason and trying to hold up that trophy at the end.”
The new contract keeps him positioned to pursue that opportunity with the Phillies across the next five seasons.
