What I’m hearing on the eve of MLB’s winter meetings: Pirates make offer to free agent Kyle Schwarber
Are you sitting down?
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made free-agent designated hitter Kyle Schwarber a four-year offer, according to people briefed on their discussions. The offer almost certainly is for more than $100 million.
The Pirates remain a long shot to sign Schwarber, whose most likely landing spot remains his previous team, the Philadelphia Phillies. The Boston Red Sox are among the other big-market clubs with known interest in him. The Cincinnati Reds, Schwarber’s hometown team, also are making a push. Schwarber is from Middletown, Ohio, about 35 miles north of Cincinnati.
The Athletic’s Tim Britton projected Schwarber to receive a five-year, $145 million contract. A four-year offer with the same $29 million average annual value would be for $116 million.
The Pirates have only given out one $100 million contract — Bryan Reynolds’ $106.75 million contract extension — and have never come close to that number in free agency. Their record free-agent contract is $39 million for left-hander Francisco Liriano in December 2014.
The competition for Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, could push the Phillies to give him a fifth guaranteed year. Schwarber not only is coming off a career-high 56 homers, but also is considered one of the best leaders in the game. He is expected to make his decision within the next two weeks.
Like the Reds, the Pirates envision Schwarber serving as the centerpiece of their lineup, making the hitters around him better. Also like the Reds, the Pirates recognize that they likely will not be the high bidder. Ultimately, they might end up signing lesser free agents. Jorge Polanco, Ryan O’Hearn and Kazuma Okamoto are among those in their mix.
The Royals’ outfield search
The Kansas City Royals are mulling a long list of potential upgrades for their outfield. They are not pursuing the most expensive options, Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. They might also be priced out of the top player on the next tier of free agents, Harrison Bader, who is said to be expecting a three-year deal.
The market, though, includes numerous other possibilities.
The Royals’ preference, according to people briefed on their discussions, is to add two outfielders, one through free agency and the other through trade. They are willing to deal a starting pitcher, with perhaps the most logical candidate being lefty Kris Bubic, who is projected to earn $6 million in his final year of arbitration before free agency.
Among free agents, a reunion with Mike Yastrzemski is one avenue the Royals are exploring. Adolis García, Max Kepler and Mike Tauchman are among the other free agents they could pursue, along with bounceback candidates Lane Thomas and JJ Bleday.
The Royals, though, are willing to take on only so much risk as they break in Jac Caglianone in right field and Carter Jensen at catcher, with Salvador Pérez continuing to appear at designated hitter and first base. Thomas and Bleday clearly are risks. So is, for that matter, García, who has been a below-average hitter the past two seasons.
Angels continue looking for rotation help
Even after trading for Grayson Rodriguez and signing Alek Manoah to a one-year, $1.95 million free-agent contract, the Los Angeles Angels want to add another starting pitcher, according to people briefed on their plans. They also would like to address their bullpen, center field and, as their buyout discussions with Anthony Rendon continue, third base.
But, as always, the team will operate according to the whims of owner Arte Moreno.
In the rotation, the Angels are seeking greater stability beyond Yusei Kikuchi and José Soriano. Neither Rodriguez nor Manoah has pitched in the majors since 2024. Reid Detmers, returning to the rotation from the bullpen, also represents something of an unknown.
Ideally, the Angels would acquire another high-end starter and at least one long man or spot-starter type. Rodriguez and Manoah each have two minor-league options remaining and can also be top-of-the-rotation starters if they return to form.
—The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Stephen Nesbitt and Sahadev Sharma contributed to this report
