Phillies linked to 56-home-run Kyle Schwarber replacement

The Philadelphia Phillies lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. After multiple years of post-season runs coming up short, there's expected to be major change coming to the Phillies this offseason.

However, the Phillies still want to bring back free agent designated hitter Kyle Schwarber if they can. It won't be easy, with plenty of other teams around the league also likely to have interest in Schwarber, but the Phillies have the upper hand in retaining the All-Star MVP for 2026 and beyond.

If the Phillies can't re-sign Schwarber, there aren't a lot of great replacement options. But, according to Mark Feinsand on MLB.com, one Japanese superstar slugger is set to be posted this winter, and could be a great replacement for Schwarber, since both have had 56 home runs in a season before in their careers.

Phillies linked to Japanese 56-homer slugger who could replace Kyle Schwarber

Feinsand reports that Munetaka Murakami, a 25-year-old corner infielder, is going to be posted this offseason. He's going to be available for any MLB team to sign, and could carry his incredible talents over from the Yakult Swallows in the Nippon Professional League to the Major Leagues in 2026.

"Nikkan Sports reported this week that the Yankees, Mets, Phillies, and Mariners are among the teams that could make a big push for Murakami," Feinsand writes.

While the Phillies have lost out on some other big-name Japanese free agents, like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Murakami could be a great fit for the Phillies' lineup in need of more power. The only question is where Murakami would play.

"The Phillies could slot Murakami in as a DH to replace Kyle Schwaber (who is also set to be a free agent)," Feinsand writes, "move Bryce Harper back to the outfield to open first base or possibly trade third baseman Alec Bohm, who is entering the final year of arbitration."

The ideal scenario here would be to move on from Alec Bohm or move Bryce Harper back to the outfield. But the most likely scenario is that Schwarber signs a huge deal with another team in free agency after a career year, pricing out the Phillies, leaving Dave Dombrowski to look elsewhere to fill the hole Schwarber would leave.

More: Kyle Schwarber gets emotional as free agency looms after Phillies’ NLDS heartbreak

While this is a realistic scenario, the Phillies will do a lot to try and retain Schwarber. If they can, a Murakami signing isn't out of the question. But, if they do lose their 56 home run slugger, then finding a younger one in Murakami wouldn't be a terrible alternative.

This season in the NPB, Murakami hit 22 home runs with 47 RBIs in just 56 games with a 1.043 OPS. He previously had a 56-homer season in 2022, putting up an impressive 1.168 OPS that season.

Across his eight seasons in the NPB, the 25-year-old Murakami has played in 892 games with 842 hits, 535 runs, 170 doubles, four triples, 246 home runs, 647 RBIs, and 614 walks to 977 strikeouts. He hit .270 in his NPB career with a .394 on-base percentage and a .557 slugging percentage. Murakami, in eight seasons, had a .951 OPS in the NPB.

Adding a player like that anywhere in the lineup should be a priority for the Phillies this offseason. Whether it's paired with an Alec Bohm trade, a Bryce Harper move to the outfield, or, in the worst-case scenario, Schwarber's departure, this is a move the Phillies could make this offseason.

They've been linked to Murakami already, and after their NLDS loss to the Dodgers, the need for more offensive firepower has never been more apparent. Something needs to change with the team, and adding Murakami would be a great way to do it.

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• Phillies' J.T. Realmuto shuts down any free agency talk after loss vs. Dodgers
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