Red Sox free-agent target – Kyle Schwarber
No player on this list should be a higher priority than Kyle Schwarber. From the moment he stepped on the Fenway Park field last August, he was a perfect fit. His patience and selectivity at the plate rubbed off on his teammates, and his four postseason home runs played a huge part in the Red Sox playoff run. He also endeared himself to fans with his willingness to learn the first base position and his outgoing personality.
At the beginning of this article, I reasoned that the Red Sox should look to acquire a first baseman, an outfielder, and a left-handed power hitter to complement Rafael Devers. Schwarber fits all three of those needs. His defense isn’t great, but he can be hidden in front of the Green Monster or at first base. His bat, though, has the potential to transform the offense in a way that no other current free agent can.
Obviously, Schwarber is not a perfect player. His 2020 season (.188/.308/.393) was so bad that the Cubs chose to non-tender him. 2021 was really the first season where Schwarber was an elite offensive player, and even that was obscured by the fact he missed six weeks with a hamstring injury.
Every player comes with risk, however, and the strides Schwarber made last year give encouragement that he can be an offensive force for years to come. He hit the ball as hard as anyone in the majors in 2021, ranking in the top 10% in the league in both barrel percentage and hard-hit percentage. He also cut down on his chase rate by 7%, which allowed him to post career-best numbers against lefties (.313/.411/.522). These strides should give the Red Sox faith that he is no longer the player he was in 2020.
It’s not often you get a player who can fill so many needs at once, but that’s precisely what Schwarber can offer the Red Sox. Simply put, the Red Sox were a different team when he was on the field last year, and they should do whatever it takes to retain the slugger.