Orioles Matched Phillies’ Offer To Kyle Schwarber

The first major free agent chip fell this morning with Kyle Schwarber returning to Philadelphia on a five-year, $150MM deal. The reunion seemed likely from the start, though the slugger had several other suitors, including at least one willing to match the $150MM price tag. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the Orioles offered Schwarber the same deal he ultimately accepted with the Phillies.

President of baseball operations Mike Elias has made it clear the team is looking for an impact bat, even after acquiring Taylor Ward. The Orioles still have a significant gap between last year’s payroll and their financial outlook for next season, giving them the potential flexibility for a large…