BREAKING: The ideal $160 million contract for Kyle Schwarber has been sealed

The ideal $160 million contract the Mets should put on the table to lure Kyle Schwarber away from the Phillies

Here is the kind of four-year, $160 million offer the New York Mets need to present to slugger Kyle Schwarber if they want any chance of signing him in free agency this winter.

With most of New York’s core lineup returning next season, Juan Soto will again anchor an offense supported by Francisco Lindor, Marcus Semien, and several promising young talents. Pete Alonso is the biggest Mets star currently on the open market, and although a reunion is possible, New York won’t hesitate to pivot to another impact bat such as Schwarber, Kyle Tucker, or Alex Bregman if needed.

At the moment, Ronny Mauricio projects as the team’s designated hitter. The former top prospect has limited room in the infield with Lindor and Semien locked into their positions, but DH is not an ideal long-term role for him. Schwarber, however, is the kind of power bat who fits that spot perfectly.

And for the Mets, snagging him from the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies, who beat them out for the NL East title, would make the move even sweeter. Remarkably, Schwarber is set to secure an even richer deal in his mid-30s than earlier in his careerone that would almost certainly come straight from Steve Cohen’s wallet: four years, $160 million. If Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns decide Schwarber is the superstar they want, they have the resources to outbid any team. With Schwarber in the center of their order, the Mets would be in strong position to return to October baseball.

Last year, even after shelling out $341 million on their roster, the Mets collapsed down the stretch and missed the postseason following a costly loss to the Miami Marlins, the NL East’s last-place club. Their lineupfeaturing Soto, the most expensive free-agent signing in MLB historyfell just short of the final Wild Card spot.

While it might seem logical for Cohen to scale back payroll after such a disappointing finish, he could just as easily push harder. Multiple high-salary players are already departing: Alonso, closer Edwin Díaz, and outfielder Starling Marte. The front office has also moved on from starter Frankie Montas, a major letdown from the previous offseason.

Big names on the market could help reshape the roster. Bringing back Díaz or Alonso would be a solid start, but both may choose to move on. On the pitching side, free agents like Framber Valdez, Joe Ryan, and Tarik Skubal could dramatically strengthen the rotation, and securing a dependable closerwhether Díaz or someone like Robert Suarezwould be a major upgrade. Offensively, players such as Alonso, Kyle Tucker, and Alex Bregman remain tempting targets.

But above all, one name stands above the rest for New York: superstar designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.