Fan Poll: Which pending free agent should the Phillies extend?

A few key Phillies players are scheduled to hit free agency next offseason.

Kyle Schwarber is entering the final year of his four-year, $79 million contract he signed with the Phillies prior to the 2022 season. All he has done has been one of the best power hitters in baseball. Schwarber is third behind Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge in home runs since signing with the Phillies.

He is likely due a raise from his $19.75 million annual salary. The question is whether or not Schwarber can get a contract of similar length compared to his previous one. He will turn 32 in March. He is a full-time DH. That will hurt his value. But his ability to hit home runs and get on-base at a time when those skills are so hard to find in the open market should make him an extremely valuable commodity.

On the topic of scarcity, it is hard to find a starting catcher as good as J.T. Realmuto. He is not anywhere close to the player he was during his peak seasons in 2019 and 2022, when he posted MVP-type numbers. But in a relative down year, Realmuto still had a wRC+ of 109 in 2024. Among the 16 catchers with at least 400 plate appearances last year, eight were ahead of him.

He is no longer the best catcher in baseball. Other players have passed him by on the offensive side and his defensive numbers have dipped relative to his peak. But the pitching staff’s dramatic improvement since the start of his tenure with the team underscores his intangibles behind the plate. Many pitchers on the Phillies staff praise Realmuto’s ability to read swings and call a game. That can’t get lost in the conversation.

Ranger Suárez is entering his final year of arbitration. The Phillies are clearly preparing for life without him, judging by the offseason trade for lefty Jesus Luzardo. Suárez is also preparing for life without the Phillies. He hired Scott Boras as his agent, a strong sign that Suárez will not sign an extension before hitting free agency.

It will be hard to say goodbye to Suárez. He debuted with the Phillies in 2018, worked his way through struggles to become an excellent reliever, and then an excellent starter. He pitched like a Cy Young candidate in the first half of 2024 only to be hampered by injuries. Like Schwarber and Realmuto, he has been a part of some of the best moments in Phillies postseason history.

You never know. A massive injury or underperformance from the rest of the staff could lead to the Phillies making a run at Suárez.

If you were Dave Dombrowski, who would you prioritize extending? Vote down below.

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