The Philadelphia Phillies were able to keep Kyle Schwarber in the fold, but they were very nearly outbid by another team.
The Baltimore Orioles extended the same 5-year, $150 million offer to Schwarber that the Phillies did, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Orioles’ effort essentially forced Philadelphia to match the offer, and that was enough to bring Schwarber back into the fold.
The effort shows that the Orioles are very serious about trying to bring in top free agents this offseason. Obviously, their offer was not quite enough to lure Schwarber away from Philadelphia. If they are willing to offer top dollar to other free agents, however, it is unlikely they will walk away from the offseason empty-handed.
The Orioles’ aggression comes on the heels of a very disappointing 2025 season. Initially, they had hoped and expected to make another playoff appearance and take a step forward from their 91-71 record in 2024. Instead, they went 75-87 and finished last in the American League East.
Baltimore has already made one impact signing this offseason, and they have been linked with another. They are clearly hoping to enter 2026 with a very different-looking team.
