Kyle Schwarber has turned his four seasons in Philadelphia into quite the showcase. The designated hitter launched 187 home runs during his time with the Phillies – that’s nearly 47 per year and more than half his career total of 340.
Now the Cincinnati Reds are making a serious push to bring the 11-year veteran home to Ohio.
According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the interest runs both ways. The Reds want Schwarber, and he’s intrigued by the idea of playing in his home state. There’s just one catch – the Phillies can likely offer more money than Cincinnati.
But here’s what makes this interesting: Great American Ball Park might be even better for Schwarber’s power numbers.
Cincinnati ranked No. 4 in Park Factor last season according to Statcast, three spots ahead of Citizens Bank Ballpark. The projections are pretty compelling – had Schwarber played all his games in Cincinnati last year, he would’ve hit 58 home runs instead of his actual 56.
That’s not a huge jump, but it’s telling when you consider the ballpark upgrade.
There’s another angle that makes this move logical. Schwarber’s returning to the NL Central, where he’s absolutely mashed throughout his career. He’s hit 89 home runs against Central division teams – a division he knows well from his Chicago Cubs days.
The question now is whether Cincinnati can come up with enough money to pry him away from Philadelphia. For Schwarber, who’s 32, this could be his final big contract. Playing close to home while potentially boosting his power numbers? That’s got to be tempting, even if it means leaving some money on the table.
