Brewers Rumors: Brew Crew A Team To Watch For Kyle Schwarber?

The Milwaukee Brewers enter this offseason looking to add some thump to their lineup. One potential free agent who has a lot of thump is Kyle Schwarber.

According to FanSided’s MLB Insider Robert Murray latest notes column, the Brewers are likely to pursue Kyle Schwarber this offseason.

After a great showing down the stretch in 2021, including a very productive postseason, Schwarber is in line to earn a solid payday this offseason should he decline his end of a $11MM mutual option. Will the Brewers be the team to give that payday to him?

 With a potential opening in the corner outfield, should the Milwaukee Brewers pursue Kyle Schwarber in free agency this winter?

Having mostly been a leftfielder in his career, Schwarber did experiment some at first base this season. Defensively, he didn’t do that well over there, and is best suited for left field.

The Brewers already have a leftfielder in Christian Yelich, who is beginning his seven year contract extension in 2022. Neither Schwarber nor Yelich possess the throwing arm to fill right field. That makes any potential pursuit of Schwarber unlikely. The Brewers could try him at first base, as they’ve done with plenty of other hitters like Eduardo Escobar, Keston Hiura, and Daniel Vogelbach.

However, they already have a number of options over there currently. Although Schwarber would definitely be an offensive upgrade over any of Milwaukee’s current options.

What would really make a difference is if the DH comes to the National League next year. The addition of the DH would allow the Brewers to bring in someone like Schwarber, who doesn’t bring much value defensively and only plays positions that the Brewers are already jammed up at.

Schwarber had a .910 OPS with Washington in the first half of the season, and was traded to Boston at the Deadline. He was even better with the Red Sox, hitting .291 with a .957 OPS, and adding 10 home runs, including three of them in the postseason. Milwaukee did not have a single player with a .900 OPS in 2021.

Adding that kind of bat to the Brewers lineup would be huge, and according to Murray, the Brewers liked him last offseason. If they can figure out a way to keep him in the lineup every single day, then this pursuit will be something to watch. But as a player who’s limited to left field and is sub-par at first base, right now the on-paper fit is odd. However, that hasn’t stopped David Stearns before.

If Avisail Garcia enters free agency, and he likely will, then Milwaukee will need to add some power to their outfield group. Schwarber could be the left-handed power hitting solution to the Brewers problem.

Schwarber is likely to be in high demand this offseason, so Stearns won’t be able to get him for cheap.