Dave Roberts approached Kyle Schwarber on Monday after the pair arrived in Atlanta following their respective cross-country flights from California. Roberts, who had to acquaint himself with this year’s crop of the National League’s best and brightest, had a simple question to ask Schwarber: if the All-Star Game went to its first-ever swing-off, could he count on Philly’s slugger?
Late Tuesday night, he answered the call. With the American League up 3-1 in the swing-off, Schwarber stepped to the plate determined to make the most of his three swings. He went 3-for-3, giving the National League the lead they needed. After Jonathan Aranda of the Tampa Bay Rays failed to convert on his three swings, the National League secured the victory, and Schwarber became the first designated hitter to ever receive the All-Star Game’s Most Valuable Player award.
A Schwarbomb-Laden history
Kyle Schwarber was already a slugger to be reckoned with when the Philadelphia Phillies signed him in 2022. Excluding his rookie season and his injury-ridden sophomore season, the left-hander has been a perennial name on the top home run list. His weakest season in the home run department came in 2018, clocking in at 26 dingers (excluding the shortened 2020 season in which he was on pace for 30 home runs).
The Middletown, Ohio native made a splash in the 2018 Home Run Derby, defeating the Phillies’ representative, Rhys Hoskins, in the semifinals to advance to the finals. Representing the Chicago Cubs, Schwarber lost the Derby 19-18 as a slugger from the host Washington Nationals walked it off. That slugger’s name? Bryce Aron Max Harper.
Following the shortened 2020 season, Schwarber found himself a free agent for the first time in his career. Navigating a difficult free agent class in a tumultuous time, he landed a one-year contract with the Nationals. Though Harper had already flown the coop to Philadelphia, Schwarber joined an interesting Nationals’ lineup featuring Juan Soto and Trea Turner under the influence of hitting coach Kevin Long.
Traded to the Boston Red Sox at the deadline, the veteran slugger ended the 2021 season with 32 home runs, the second-most in his career at the time. Having spent all of his time with the Nationals in left field during the National League’s final season without the designated hitter, Schwarber split his time with the Red Sox between left field and DH, with some first base mixed in.
Tuesday night, after his historic All-Star performance, Kyle was asked to reflect on his Major League career thus far.
“I think it’s more going to settle in when you’re done, all said and done,” Schwarber explained. “And you’re going to be able to kind of look back at your whole career and realize all the really cool things that you were able to participate in or take part in and, you know, realize how special the journey all was because, you know, it doesn’t last long. And you want to just make the most of it.”
Following his hitting coach up I-95, Schwarber signed a four year contract worth $79 million with the Phillies. Under the lights of Citizens Bank Park with the Philadelphia skyline on the horizon, the power hitter found the next level. In 2022, he led the N.L. with 46 home runs, earning his second All-Star appearance, second Home Run Derby appearance, and a Silver Slugger.
The production would not slow in the seasons to come, as Schwarber hit 47 and 38 home runs respectively in 2023 and 2024. At this point in his career, the 32-year-old has hit home runs in just about every “big stage” in baseball.
Where Schwarber stands in Phillies’ history
Then came 2025, and it seems as though the Phillies DH is taking things even further. For the first time in his career, Schwarber has reached 30 home runs before the All-Star Break. At his current rate, the veteran left-hander is on track to eclipse 50 home runs for the first time in his career. If he were to do so, he would be only the second player in Phillies’ history to do so behind 2006 MVP Ryan Howard.
Schwarber, who recently slugged his 300th career home run, has skyrocketed up the Phillies’ All-Time home runs list. With 161 home runs since arriving in Philly, the left-hander already sits at 15th All-Time. One home run ahead, just like in the final round of the 2018 Home Run Derby, is Bryce Harper at 162.
The rate at which Schwarber hits home run is just about unheard of for the Phillies. Hitting a home run every 13 at bats, Schwarber has the fastest rate in Phillies’ history, just ahead of Jim Thome (13.3), Howard (14.9), and Michael Jack Schmidt (15.2).
Now, having earned the second All-Star MVP in Phillies’ history and winning the first-ever All-Star Game swing-off, the question remains if Schwarber will continue to play in Philadelphia beyond 2025. The answer to that question will determine just how high on the Phillies’ career lists he will rise.
Moving into the unknown
Schwarber’s contract with the Phillies expires at the end of the season. Both parties have made it clear that they want to get a contract signed, but any talks have been tabled for the off-season. Should the Phillies and Schwarber not come to an agreement on an extension, one of the top power hitters in baseball will be a free agent once more.
While outfielder Kyle Tucker will be the marquee player of the off-season, Schwarber is likely the second-best bat available in free agency. And if there was a team in Major League Baseball that wasn’t thirsting for a bat like Schwarber’s, his swing-off display got their attention Tuesday night in Atlanta.
“For him to get out there … use a big part of the field and hit it out, clutch up and hit three homers,” detailed N.L. manager Dave Roberts (Dodgers). “That speaks to the hitter he is. You’ve got a guy who can really hit with bat to ball and has huge power. It’s fun to watch.”
“That’s Schwarbs; I’m not shocked,” said AL manager Aaron Boone (Yankees) post-game. “He did Schwarber-type things.”
Schwarber is now, more than ever, a hot bat and a hot commodity. A menace in the batter’s box and a leader in the clubhouse, Kyle has proven himself to be a cornerstone player for any team to pick up, possibly even worth a five-plus year contract going into his age-33 season. It would suffice to say that if the Phillies want to keep their best slugger, they will need to pay up.
“We’ve played a lot of meaningful baseball games in Philadelphia, and the postseason environment is second to none,”Schwarber said to Scott Lauber. “To be able to feel like you’re playing a Tuesday night game and it’s sold out, 40,000, that’s something you don’t want to take for granted and you appreciate that.”
Continuing a trend from the past few seasons with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, the Phillies’ biggest task this off-season might not be bringing in new talent, but holding onto the familiar.
Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
