Jul 18, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber (12) this a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Bill Streicher
Phillies
Jon Heyman of The New York Post obtained the full details of Kyle Schwarber's five-year/$150 million contract with the Phillies. Let's take a look at the specifics.
When Heyman posted this tweet, much was made of Schwarber's salary only being $15 million in 2026. Only the Phillies know what they have planned, but it's worth remembering a couple things. First of all, the luxury tax only considers the average annual value of a contract. So even though Schwarber's base salary is "only" $15 million in 2026, he'll still count $30 million towards the luxury tax threshold in 2026. Additionally, the $15 million that Schwarber isn't being paid as part of his annual salary is being made up in a signing bonus. $7.5 million of it will be paid on March 15, 2026, with the other $7.5 being paid on Oct. 25, 2026. It's not as though these payments have been deferred years into the future.
Other notes
Schwarber's deal hasn't been reported to include a no-trade clause, but he doesn't really need one. He'll gain 10-and-5 rights after the 2026 season, meaning he'll have been in the league for at least a decade with at least five consecutive campaigns for his current club. 10-and-5 rights give you a full no-trade clause. In theory, the Phillies could trade Schwarber during the 2026 season without him being able to block it. In reality, there's no chance of that actually taking place.
If Schwarber wins the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, he'll be paid a $59,000 bonus. The only problem for him is that Shohei Ohtani has won the award five seasons in a row, and isn't going anywhere.
Schwarber's deal includes him donating $150,000 a season to Phillies Charities, Inc.
Tim Kelly is the Managing Editor for On Pattison. He's been on the Phillies beat since 2020. Kelly is also on Bleacher Report's MLB staff. Previously, Kelly has worked for Phillies Nation, Audacy Sports, SportsRadio 94 WIP, Just Baseball, FanSided, Locked On and Sports Illustrated/FanNation. Kelly is a graduate of Bloomsburg University with a major in Mass Communications and minor in Political Science.