I wasn’t happy when I left, and neither was my daughter; she told me to come back. Now I’m coming back home, to the Philadelphia Phillies.” Kyle Schwarber makes an emotional promise to his fans and his daughter….

The Philadelphia Phillies remain laser-focused on their current season and postseason push, but the front office can’t completely ignore what’s coming: free agency. In just a couple of months, several core players will be eligible to hit the open market. At the center of that group is designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who is shaping up to be one of the most highly coveted players available this offseason.

Despite nearing his age-33 season and offering little to no value on defense, Schwarber’s offensive output is elite. His powerful bat alone may be enough to land him a massive contract—possibly reaching the nine-figure range. According to Spotrac, Schwarber is projected to earn a four-year contract worth around $101 million.

Whether the Phillies will be the team to hand him that deal remains to be seen. On Tuesday, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report shared his belief that the Phillies would ultimately retain Schwarber, even though they’re expected to face significant competition for his services. Schwarber’s production, particularly in his contract year, has made him one of the most attractive free agents on the market.

“Schwarber certainly has the Phillies over a barrel,” Kelly wrote, “having hit a career-best 49 home runs this season.” He added that both Phillies managing partner John Middleton and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have publicly stated their desire to keep Schwarber in Philadelphia. According to Kelly, it may take a long-term deal of four or five years—and fending off aggressive offers from other teams—but failing to re-sign Schwarber could cause a major backlash from fans.

As of Tuesday, Schwarber was putting up MVP-caliber numbers. He entered play slashing .245/.366/.577 with a National League-leading 49 home runs and 119 RBIs, both career highs. Those figures not only position him as the NL’s top slugger but also as a strong contender to finish second in MVP voting behind Shohei Ohtani.

Given that level of production, letting Schwarber walk would be a huge blow to the Phillies’ offense. But there’s also undeniable risk in committing another nine-figure contract to a player in his 30s, particularly one who is limited to the designated hitter role. The Phillies must now weigh the benefits of keeping Schwarber’s bat in the lineup against the long-term financial implications of a big-money deal.

The key question now: how far will Philadelphia be willing to go to win the bidding war?