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The Philadelphia Phillies hit the All-Star break in the midst of a close race for the top spot in the National League.
The Phillies are tied for the third-most wins in the NL, fewer than three games back from the top spot held by the Los Angeles Dodgers. And as the race for the National League pennant heats up, they’ll be counting on their sole offensive All-Star to keep up his career pace.
Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber has carried the Phillies’ offense for much of the season, ranking first among his teammates for total runs, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage and more so far this season. But his production is also coming with a cost, as it means he is likely to hear from plenty of suitors in free agency this coming winter.
“Maybe the Phillies and Schwarber can work out something quickly in the offseason,” Scott Lauber wrote for The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Or maybe another team will swoop in.”
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It’s hard to say what Schwarber’s future market might look like. He’s been one of the sport’s most productive sluggers for years, but he’s also 32 years old and limited defensively.
But as an Ohio native, where he still has a home, Schwarber could be a fit with the NL upstart Cincinnati Reds. And when Lauber asked Schwarber about the chances of joining his hometown team in free agency, Schwarber welcomed the idea.
“Being a baseball fan and growing up and watching Cincinnati baseball for your whole youth, that’s how you fall in love with baseball, I think it would draw your attention, right?” Schwarber said, per Lauber. “Being able to play for your childhood team is something that I think it’d be awesome.”
As of now, Schwarber and the Phillies are most focused on completing a strong second half and making a deep playoff run. But when the time comes, it sounds like the slugger will be open to other offers if his current team can’t head them off with a new contract first.