Jon Heyman of MLB Network is reporting on Twitter that free agent outfielder Kyle Schwarber currently has a “huge market” and some teams, including the Colorado Rockies, are showing interest.
Schwarber, who turns 29 in March, spent the 2021 season between the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox and was an All-Star for the first time in his career.
The Colorado Rockies are reportedly interested in Kyle Schwarber
Kyle Schwarber only played in 113 games in 2021 due to injury but it was, arguably, the best offensive season of his career, which would be great for the Colorado Rockies moving forward. He hit 32 homers with 71 RBI with a .266/.374/.554 slash line and an OPS+ of 148. For a 162-game season, that pace would be 46 homers and 102 RBI.
If the National League were to adopt the designated hitter for 2022, the Rockies would utilize Schwarber, at least part of the time, as a DH.
The Rockies need power bats and the most logical position to add it in is in the outfield. Their primary left fielder, Raimel Tapia, is the exact opposite of Schwarber at the plate in that he has speed but doesn’t walk much and has no power. Signing Schwarber would make Tapia expendable.
But also, Schwarber is versatile in that he could play left field and first base but, in a pinch, he could catch. We discussed in this article last month how Schwarber could be a fit for the Rockies, especially because his catching background. As we said then, “he Rockies have also been known to love to carry a third catcher on their team. In fact, 2021 was the first season in a decade where the Rockies didn’t carry a position player who was also a catcher or a primary catcher that could also play infield positions (e.g. Tony Wolters, Wilin Rosario, Matt McBride, Jordan Pacheco).”
Schwarber was projected to get a four-year deal for $70 million by MLB Trade Rumors but with the way the offseason has panned out thus far and given Schwarber’s age, he may be able to get more than that this offseason