Contract comps for Kyle Schwarber have Red Sox re-living Rafael Devers problem

Like the passage of time, the Kyle Schwarber rumors are simply unceasing at this point of the baseball calendar.

On the surface, the links make plenty of sense. The Boston Red Sox need to infuse their lineup with a whole lot of power. Schwarber, who led the National League with 56 home runs this year, and has hit 187 home runs with the Philadelphia Phillies over the past four years, can supply power in droves.

However, as one of the best players set to hit free agency this offseason, Schwarber is going to earn himself a pretty penny. With great power comes great wealth, after all. In fact, Jim Bowden of The Athletic ranked Schwarber as the second-best overall free agent, behind only Kyle Tucker. While he didn't list the Red Sox as one of the three best fits for the slugger, everyone knows by now that Boston can make a reunion work if it so desires.

Unfortunately, that may not be the case. Bowden predicted that Schwarber would sign a five-year, $160 million contract in free agency, citing Rafael Devers' blockbuster contract as the top salary comp for Schwarber.

Kyle Schwarber can't justify salary to Red Sox as a designated hitter

We don't need to relive the Devers trade to know what Bowden is implying here. Schwarber is a DH-only player at this point of his career, which is exactly the same predicament that got Devers and his huge contract shipped out of town.

The Red Sox used 13 different players at DH in 2025, which is a reflection of their team-building philosophy as a whole. Alex Cora and the front office prioritize versatility, and Schwarber simply has none.

If Devers wasn't worth his $31 million AAV as a late-20s slugger with a legacy in Boston, it's hard to see how the front office would rationalize a $32 million AAV for a 33-year-old Schwarber.

All that being said, it feels like a crime for the Sox not to at least try to reunite with the NL home run king. Schwarber hit .240/.365/.563 in 2025, posting a 152 wRC+, 132 RBIs, and a 14.9% walk rate. He's a ready-made middle-of-the-order slugger whose 56 home runs this year more than doubled Trevor Story's team-leading 25.

The Red Sox ranked 27th in the league in home runs in the second half. There should be a lot of internal improvement on the way as Roman Anthony gets healthy, Kristian Campbell continues to develop, and Triston Casas makes his comeback attempt, but Alex Bregman will more than likely explore the free agent market, and a reunion with Boston isn't guaranteed. Power is a need, no matter how you slice it.

Ultimately, Schwarber is probably too old, too expensive, and too inflexible to make sense as a primary target this winter. Assuming that holds true, it remains a mystery as to how the team plans to go about filling its biggest offensive need.