Middletown’s Schwarber a free agent after Cubs don’t offer contract

Veteran hit .188 last season

The Chicago Cubs did not offer Middletown’s Kyle Schwarber a contract at the tender/non-tender deadline Wednesday night, making him a free agent.

Schwarber has played his entire career with the Cubs. He debuted in 2015, played a key role in the World Series in 2016 and hit 121 home runs in six seasons.

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Schwarber played in 59 games last season in the 60-game season, hitting .188 with 11 home runs and 24 RBIs. He started 48 games in left field and eight games as the designated hitter.

Schwarber, 27, would have made $8 million to $9 million next year as an arbitration-eligible player. The Cubs could still bring him back next season.

“We’ll definitely keep the door open,” Jed Hoyer, the Cubs President of Baseball Operations, told reporters. “We’ll continue to talk about ways to bring him back. We had a good conversation. He’s a Cubs legend. No question about that.”

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