There have been some huge dollar figures thrown around in free agency so far. Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets with no deferrals shattered Shohei Ohtani’s record for the most lucrative contract in North American professional sports. The New York Yankees pivoting to Max Fried and paying him $218 million was almost as shocking as the final dollar figure for Soto.
In the mid-tier of free agents, one deal sticks out: DH Joc Pederson’s two-year, $37 million contract with the Texas Rangers. The deal reportedly includes an opt out after 2025 and a mutual option for 2027.
Pederson, who hilariously teased Phillies fans last offseason with a random Instagram post featuring the Phanatic and “Dancing On My Own,” had a fantastic season as a designated hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 449 plate appearances, Pederson slashed .275/.393/.515 with 23 home runs and 64 RBIs.
All of that production comes with a couple caveats. Pederson did not play a single inning in the field and was part of a DH platoon. He went 7-for-32 with two extra-base hits against lefties this season. He has not had over 100 plate appearances against left-handed pitching since 2021.
Why is all of this relevant? There is another free agent set to hit the market next season that will be the same age as Pederson that is also a left-handed hitting DH who used to be an outfielder. He is also better than Pederson and does not need to be in a platoon.
That’s Kyle Schwarber.
Schwarber is coming off his best all-around season yet with the Phillies in 2024. He raised his batting average from .197 to .248 and posted his best on-base percentage since 2021. Schwarber also mashed against left-handed pitching. In 248 plate appearances, Schwarber batted .300 with 12 home runs and a career-high .898 OPS against lefties. He sacrificed some power in order to be less of a “three true outcomes” player and it worked.
Can Schwarber maintain that level of production against lefties? It’s going to be tough, but at the very least, we’re not having a discussion about Schwarber being a platoon bat. If anything, his teammates have joked about him only playing against lefties because there was a point in the season where almost all of his production came against southpaws.
Pederson’s deal should be the floor for Schwarber, who will be a highly coveted free agent next offseason if the Phillies do not sign him to an extension. A serious injury or a really bad year could tank his value, but it’s hard to envision Schwarber getting anything less than what Pederson got from the Rangers.
Maybe the Pederson deal will prove to be an overpay, but for now, the contract is a good reminder of how expensive acquiring offense is in today’s game where pitching dominates.
The prospect of losing their second-best hitter and clubhouse leader should be terrifying for the Phillies, who are already facing questions this year about whether or not the offense is good enough to win a World Series. Through three seasons in Philadelphia, Schwarber has authored many memorable playoff moments and built up a Wall of Fame resume. Even if his time with the club ended after 2025, he’ll go down as one of the franchise’s most beloved players over the last 25 years.
Schwarber’s original four-year, $79 million deal he signed with the Phillies prior to the 2022 season has aged incredibly well. But like his teammate Zack Wheeler, his next contract could exceed his previous deal in average annual value on a shorter term.
Could two years at $50 million with a club option for 2028 be enough to prevent Schwarber from hitting the market? It’s a lot of money for a DH, but he is a damn good one.
