Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the Pirates have made a four-year offer to free agent slugger Kyle Schwarber. Rosenthal adds that the proposal is likely worth more than $100MM.
The club has been mentioned multiple times as Schwarber’s market takes shape this offseason. He’s not the only big bat they’ve been in on, as they also pursued Josh Naylor before he re-signed with Seattle. Rosenthal notes the Pirates remain an unlikely landing spot for Schwarber, though GM Ben Cherington previously said the team has “more [financial] flexibility” than they’ve had in prior offseasons.
Schwarber had a career year at just the right time. As a pending free agent, he launched 56 home runs to lead the National League. He posted a career-high 152 wRC+, which ranked behind only Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto in the NL. Schwarber had a strong case for NL MVP if not for the two-way dominance of Ohtani.
While the free agent market features prodigious power hitters like Pete Alonso and Eugenio Suarez, plus high-upside thumpers like Munetaka Murakami, it’s hard to find an available slugger who matches Schwarber’s consistency. The 32-year-old has hit at least 38 home runs in all four seasons with Philadelphia. He’s topped 100 runs in each campaign, while averaging more than 108 RBI per year. Schwarber had a minimum stint on the IL for a hamstring strain in 2024, but has otherwise been healthy, reaching 150 games every season in Philly.
The note that the Pirates’ offer to Schwarber is in the nine figures isn’t a surprise. We had him getting $135MM over five years in our Top 50 Free Agents article. If Pittsburgh were to lure Schwarber on that kind of commitment, it would be a historic deal for the franchise. As Rosenthal points out, the club’s record free agent contract is $39MM to Francisco Liriano back in 2014. Cherington and his cohorts did give Bryan Reynolds a $106.75MM deal, though it was a contract extension.
Pittsburgh’s largest outlay in free agency last offseason was $5.25MM to Andrew Heaney. The club has spent more than $10MM just once this decade, giving Aroldis Chapman $10.5MM prior to the 2024 season. The Pirates haven’t handed out a multi-year contract in free agency since re-signing Ivan Nova for three years and $26MM ahead of the 2017 season. They also grabbed Daniel Hudson for two years and $11MM that offseason.
RosterResource has Pittsburgh’s payroll at $64MM for 2026. The team was at $87MM in each of the past two seasons. Nearly half of next year’s payroll will be going to Reynolds and Mitch Keller, who signed a five-year, $77MM extension in 2024.
A return to Philadelphia is among the most likely outcomes for Schwarber, though the two sides aren’t on the same page just yet. Boston, Baltimore, and San Francisco have also been mentioned as possible destinations. Cincinnati, Schwarber’s hometown team, is said to be in the mix.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
That’s really cute, champ.
Discussed this with Keanu at happy hour. He said “whoa”
Yeah unfortunately that’s not goin be enough
I think it’s around what he’s been reported to be after
Career year in a contract year. Where have I heard that before.
Let the Padres or Angels or whoever have the piggy. 12 years, $480 million.
Aloha folks, I’m impressed that Pittsburgh offered this to Schwarber. I wish him all the best! Mahalo!
Finally as a pirate fan, we are the envy of 80 percent of the leagues fans for a very short period of time this off season lol
Bwahahahaha!
Pirates will use this failed “pursuit” as a justification for eventually signing less impactful and way cheaper options.
“See! We tried signing Schwarber!”
This sort of thing generally isn’t the leak that precedes “Player Agrees to 4-Year Deal” news.
As easy as it is to knock Pirates ownership, I give them credit for trying to strike while the iron is hot with Skenes and that rotation. Odds are he doesn’t sign with them but at least they’re trying. Who knows, maybe we see Pete Alonso in a Pirates uniform next year?
As a Pirates fan, I’d love to have Schwarber launching homers into the Allegheny. Would love it, but can’t see it happening. And if he were to somehow come here, he alone still wouldn’t be enough even with another 56 homer season. With this offense, 46 of them would be solo shots.
So the Pirates would have to go out and get another bat or two, albeit more reasonably priced and likely much younger and controllable
He’d never sign there. Pirates pretending to be serious because of Skenes.
When I was younger, I had a huge crush on Stephanie from Full House, I sent her a letter, it didn’t work. I imagine this is pretty similar.
Upon hearing Schwarber had a 5 year offer around $125 million, the Pirates promptly offered 4 years $110 million…and immediately told everyone they possibly could in hopes of looking like they are doing something
The Pirates are lucky if they get Suarez for that lol