There’s a buzz building in Cincinnati, and it’s not just the usual offseason chatter. The Reds are being linked to free agent slugger Kyle Schwarber - a Middletown native with serious power and postseason pedigree.
While many around the league still see the Phillies as the frontrunners to retain Schwarber, the idea of him returning to Ohio is gaining traction. And if former Phillies GM Rubén Amaro Jr. is to be believed, the Reds shouldn’t stop there.
**Amaro’s pitch? Go big.
Sign Schwarber - and J.T. Realmuto.
**
That’s right. On a recent episode of The Phillies Show, Amaro floated a bold vision: if the Reds are serious about contending in 2026, they should make a splash by signing not just Schwarber, but also his close friend and longtime teammate, Realmuto.
“If the Cincinnati Reds really are serious about being a contender, you sign J.T., and then you follow it up with signing Schwarber,” Amaro said. “They’re best friends, they care for each other... if I’m the Cincinnati Reds, and I’m GM Nick Krall, that’s the move I make.”
Now, on the surface, this might feel like wishful thinking. But dig a little deeper, and there’s some logic to it.
The Reds are a young, talented team, but they lacked a true veteran heartbeat in 2025. With Nick Martinez and Emilio Pagán now free agents, leadership in the clubhouse is up for grabs.
Schwarber and Realmuto? They don’t just bring experience - they bring presence.
They’ve been through October battles, they know how to lead, and they’ve got the kind of chemistry that can shift a team’s culture overnight.
Cincinnati tried to patch that leadership gap last year by bringing in Jeimer Candelario after declining Joey Votto’s $20 million option following the 2023 season. That move didn’t pan out.
Candelario struggled, was released, and the Reds are still on the hook for his $16 million salary in 2026. It was a swing and a miss - and one the front office can’t afford to repeat.
Schwarber and Realmuto would be a different story. Schwarber’s left-handed power bat and high walk rate would slot nicely into the middle of Cincinnati’s lineup, while Realmuto remains one of the game’s most athletic and respected catchers. Together, they’d bring a winning mentality to a team that’s been knocking on the door but hasn’t quite broken through.
Of course, there’s a major hurdle: the price tag.
Schwarber is expected to command a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $120 million. Realmuto, now a free agent, could land a two-year deal worth around $30 million. That’s a $150 million investment - and for a franchise that’s operated on a tight budget in recent years, it would be a seismic financial commitment.
The last time the Reds spent that kind of money was ahead of the 2020 season, when they shelled out $165 million on Nick Castellanos, Wade Miley, Mike Moustakas, and Shogo Akiyama. Since then, the front office has been far more conservative with its spending, opting to build from within and supplement with smaller moves.
To pull this off, the Reds would likely need to rework their roster and payroll. That could mean trading players like Tyler Stephenson or Brady Singer to clear space and possibly bring back bullpen help - a unit that could use a few fresh arms heading into 2026.
Make no mistake: this would be a bold move. It would require ownership to take a leap of faith and invest heavily in a veteran core. But if the Reds are serious about contending in the NL Central - and beyond - this is the kind of swing that could change the trajectory of the franchise.
Is it likely? Maybe not.
But it’s not out of the question. And more importantly, it’s the kind of aggressive thinking that could finally push Cincinnati from hopeful to heavyweight.
Whether or not the Reds make the move, one thing’s clear: the window is open. And if they want to make the most of it, now might be the time to go all in.