Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber can look to fellow All-Star Pete Alonso for what might await him in free agency

ATLANTA — If anyone is able to anticipate what might await Kyle Schwarber in free agency, it’s probably Pete Alonso.

Think about it: Alonso rated among the most feared middle-of-the-order hitters to hit the market last offseason. But modern front offices don’t tend to reward slugging corner infielders/designated hitters in their 30s, no matter how many homers they hit.

So, Alonso stayed unsigned into early February before winding up back with the Mets on a one-year, $30 million contract with a $24 million player option for 2026 that he will almost certainly decline to reenter the market.

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Not what Alonso expected, was it?

“I think my skill set and who I am as a player, the substance and body of work I provided was definitely good enough to get me a job,” Alonso said Monday from the All-Star Game. “I mean, I didn’t have my best year and I got a $10 million pay raise, which is great.”

Indeed, Alonso struggled last season, by his standards. He batted .240 and slugged .459 with 34 homers, the worst full-season totals of his career.

Schwarber, the Phillies’ lone All-Star in attendance this week in Atlanta, is enjoying a far better walk year, slugging .545 with 30 homers at the break. He also has cut his strikeout rate to 26.3%, which would represent his lowest mark since 2019.

There’s also an intangible component. Schwarber is well-regarded as a leader in the clubhouse and has played for winning teams with the Cubs, Red Sox, and Phillies.

But Schwarber also will be 33 next season. And like Alonso, he doesn’t provide value as a defender, which could make for tough free-agent sledding in the pursuit of a nine-figure contract.

The Phillies had dialogue with Schwarber’s representatives in spring training but didn’t get close to an agreement. Although the sides agreed to table conversations until after the season, Schwarber reiterated his desire to stay put.

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“I’ve made it known that Philly’s been home for me these last four years, and that’s where my kids have been growing up,” Schwarber said Monday. “We spend more time in Philadelphia than we do at our own home [in Ohio] in the offseason, and that’s what they know home is. It’s been such a great time there.

“Obviously there’s interest on my side, and I know that there’s going to be interest on their side. At the end of the year, we’re going to see where that takes us, and if that’s us striking up a deal, it’s striking up a deal.”

There might be a comparable situation in Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski’s past.

When Dombrowski ran the Tigers’ baseball operations, he signed designated hitter Victor Martinez to a four-year, $50 million free-agent contract before the 2011 season. Martinez outproduced that deal and was a central figure in four consecutive division titles, then re-signed for four years and $68 million entering his age-36 season.

Maybe the Phillies and Schwarber can work out something quickly in the offseason. Or maybe another team will swoop in. What if the Reds, for example, are willing to splurge on a veteran slugger to anchor a young team?

“Being a baseball fan and growing up and watching Cincinnati baseball for your whole youth, that’s how you fall in love with baseball, I think it would draw your attention, right?” Schwarber said. “Being able to play for your childhood team is something that I think it’d be awesome.”

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But Schwarber appears to have a preference.

“We’ve played a lot of meaningful baseball games in Philadelphia, and the postseason environment is second to none,” he said. “To be able to feel like you’re playing a Tuesday night game and it’s sold out, 40,000, that’s something you don’t want to take for granted and you appreciate that.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he intends to use 23-year-old Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski in the middle of the game, likely between the fifth and seventh innings. “It’s going to be electric,” Roberts said. “The fans, the media, you’re going to love it. For this young kid to be named All-Star, I couldn’t be more excited for him.” … Pirates ace Paul Skenes will start the All-Star Game for the National League against the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal, the reigning American League Cy Young winner.