MLB insider believes Red Sox are ‘best fit’ for Kyle Schwarber

Boston Red Sox

“He can hit for power. He drives in runs. He gets on base. He is an exceptional teammate and has been universally loved wherever he’s been.”

The Red Sox’s decision to let Kyle Schwarber walk in free agency after the 2021 season stands as one of the larger blunders for the team over the last few years.

After playing a key role in Boston’s unexpected run to the ALCS, Boston didn’t retain Schwarber, who signed a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies.

It quickly became a bargain deal for Philadelphia, as Schwarber continued to assert himself as one of the top power-hitters in the league.

Over the last four seasons in Philly, Schwarber has clubbed 187 home runs and driven in 434 RBI — culminating in a 2025 campaign where he batted .240 with a league-leading 56 home runs and 134 RBI.

Those impressive numbers have loomed large over a Red Sox team that has been hampered over the years with a lack of established production — and especially power — at the DH position. 

But, could Boston atone for its prior miscue by signing Schwarber to a new deal this offseason? 

In a new story detailing the “best fits” for several of the top fits for projected free agents this winter, Fansided’s Robert Murray tabbed the Red Sox as the top option for Alex Bregman — and Schwarber. 

“He can hit for power. He drives in runs. He gets on base. He is an exceptional teammate and has been universally loved wherever he’s been,” Murray wrote. “If you’re the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants or any other franchise looking to compete for a World Series, you add Schwarber and don’t think twice.

“This contract, which should land in the 3-4 year range, should be substantial for a 32-year-old (33 in March) who hit .240/.365/.563 with 56 home runs, 132 RBI and a .928 OPS.”

There might be some risk with signing a player in Schwarber, who will be 33 years old before the start of the 2026 season and has run into issues as far as plate discipline and contact rate. 

But, Schwarber is still one of the best in the business when it comes to golfing pitches into the cheap seats. 

And while Boston could use more pop at the right side of the plate, slotting in Schwarber at the DH spot would be a welcome remedy for a Red Sox team that ranked 15th in the league in home runs. 

It should come as little surprise that the three teams in baseball who slugged the most home runs in the regular season (Yankees, Dodgers, Mariners) all made it to at least the Divisional Series — with the Mariners and Dodgers both ahead in their respective ALCS series with a trip to the World Series on the line.

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.