The Mets are eyeing a move that would sting their division rivals in Philadelphia.
Kyle Schwarber could be switching NL East uniforms, with New York reportedly interested in prying the slugger away from the Phillies this winter.
ESPN’s Buster Olney dropped this nugget Friday:
“The juiciest rumor I heard this week was the notion that the Mets could push the Phillies for Schwarber, and there are a lot of reasons this could make sense. Beyond Schwarber’s power and on-base capability — can you imagine pitchers working to get through Schwarber and Soto in the same inning? — he is known as someone who works to pull players together. And hell, even if the Mets don’t believe they can beat the Phillies in the bidding for the slugger, they could push Philadelphia’s cost by being involved, as the Braves did with Aaron Nola two winters ago.”
That’s classic Steven Cohen territory right there. Use the checkbook to either land the target or make life expensive for the competition.
The timing makes sense too. If Pete Alonso walks in free agency, the Mets need that middle-of-the-order thump. Schwarber’s got plenty left in the tank at 32.
His four-year run in Philadelphia speaks for itself: 187 home runs, including 56 this past season. Sure, he’s essentially a DH at this point, but when you can work counts and drive balls out of the park like that, who cares about defensive versatility?
What makes this interesting is the clubhouse piece. Schwarber’s reputation as a veteran leader would complement what the Mets are building around Juan Soto. That’s a pretty intimidating 1-2 punch to throw at opposing pitchers.
The way I see it, even if this is just the Mets playing spoiler, it’s smart business. Force the Phillies to overpay to keep their guy, or land a proven slugger who knows the division inside and out.
After stealing Soto from the Yankees last winter, Cohen’s shown he’s not afraid to make moves that send messages. Schwarber to Queens would certainly qualify as another one.
