O’s So Close: Report that Orioles nearly plucked Schwarber before Phillies matched offer

ORLANDO, Fla. — Of all the teams that were rumored to be in on Kyle Schwarber, the one that came closest to stealing him from the Phillies was one just 100 miles away.

According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic the Baltimore Orioles made Schwarber an identical 5-year, $150 million offer. 

Rosenthal added details on other offers Schwarber received – namely a 5-year $125 million offer from the Cincinnati Reds that wasn’t their best final offer, and a 4-year, $120 million offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

But it was the Orioles, who set the price. The Phillies matched it. 

In a separate report at The Athletic, Matt Gelb said that the offer from the Orioles came on Monday and that Schwarber’s agency (Excel Sports Management) sent it over to the Phillies Monday night. 

The agreement was the the Phillies would get the last chance to match any offer.

And, if he needed to break a tie, Schwarber would choose to stay in Philadelphia. 

The Phillies matched it. 

“He’s so different than most of the guys I’ve ever been around,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He’s a great player and he knows how to bring the heartbeat of the clubhouse down when things are going rough.”

I asked Thomson how Schwarber does that on On Pattison’s Phillies Stoplight:

“He’s very self-deprecating,” Thomson said. “He can joke about himself when he makes a mistake. (But) he (also) can put his arm around a young player, or even an experienced player, and talk them thorough it, and give them some ideas of how to slow everything down and that everything’s going to be all right. 

“Every day is a new day. We play 162 games in the regular season and you got to stay on an even keel and take things one day at a time. That’s his message and I think it gets through to people.”  

Fortunately for the Phillies, he’ll spend the next five years delivering that message in the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park rather than the one at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. 

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