Philadelphia is buzzing, and for good reason: Kyle Schwarber, the Phillies’ slugging outfielder, is rewriting the franchise’s record books and electrifying Citizens Bank Park with every swing. On August 19, 2025, Schwarber delivered a moment for the ages, launching a first-inning home run on a 1-2 count off Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller. That blast wasn’t just another tally in his home run column—it set a Phillies franchise record for homering in 15 straight series, thrilling the 43,757 fans in attendance and etching Schwarber’s name into club lore.
But Schwarber wasn’t finished. The very next night, he turned in a performance that had the Philly faithful out of their seats yet again. In an 11-2 rout to complete a three-game sweep of the Mariners, Schwarber hammered his 45th home run of the season and drove in five runs with a display of power and clutch hitting that’s become his trademark. He collected an RBI double, a run-scoring single, a sacrifice fly, and crossed the plate twice himself. By the end of the night, he’d pushed his RBI total to a league-leading 110—a new career high and one better than previously reported, surpassing Seattle’s Cal Raleigh for the MLB lead.
"There’s a lot of guys who are way more deserving of this award," Schwarber said after becoming the first designated hitter in All-Star Game history to win MVP earlier in the season. "I’m just happy that we get a win with the National League and it’s going to come home with us to Philly." That humility belies the thunder in Schwarber’s bat, which has made him a legitimate National League MVP candidate and the heartbeat of a Phillies lineup that’s been nothing short of relentless.
With 35 games left in the 2025 season, Schwarber stands at 45 home runs, leading the National League by one over Shohei Ohtani and trailing only Cal Raleigh, who sits atop the MLB leaderboard with 47. The race for the home run crown is as tight as it gets, with Ohtani (44) and Aaron Judge (40) also lurking. But Schwarber’s sights are set on more than just the league lead—he’s chasing Phillies immortality. Ryan Howard’s iconic 58-homer season in 2006 is the franchise’s gold standard, and Schwarber needs just 13 more to tie that mark. If he keeps up his torrid pace, Howard’s record is well within reach, and even Judge’s all-time asterisk-free record of 62 (set in 2022) isn’t out of the question.
It’s not just the long ball that’s made Schwarber indispensable. Through 127 games, he’s tallied 120 hits, 20 doubles, a triple, 45 homers, 110 RBI, 89 runs, and even 10 stolen bases—a testament to his all-around game. He’s driven in at least 100 runs for three consecutive years and has topped the 45-homer mark in three of his four seasons in Philadelphia. The last team to keep Schwarber in the ballpark for an entire series? The Houston Astros, who limited him to just two hits in 11 at-bats back in late June.
The Phillies’ recent surge has come at just the right time. With the sweep of the Mariners, they’ve won four straight and are looking every bit the contender their fans hoped for. Trea Turner, another key piece of the puzzle, had five hits and two RBI in the series finale, while Max Kepler and Bryson Stott each chipped in three hits. The offense is clicking, but it’s Schwarber’s power that’s put this team on the map and in the middle of every postseason conversation.
Schwarber’s 2025 campaign has been peppered with jaw-dropping highlights. On August 4, he sent the crowd into a frenzy with a two-homer performance, including a majestic grand slam off Baltimore’s Yaramil Hiraldo. The MVP chants rained down from the stands, echoing again days later when he crushed a 456-foot shot off Nationals pitcher Konnor Pilkington. These moments have become routine for Schwarber, whose signature pause, lean back, and stare as the ball rockets into orbit have become must-see TV in Philadelphia.
And let’s not forget his All-Star Game heroics. Earlier this summer, Schwarber became the first DH to win All-Star Game MVP, bashing three home runs in the game’s inaugural swing-off and leading the National League to a dramatic 7-6 victory. "I’m just happy that we get a win with the National League and it’s going to come home with us to Philly," he told reporters—a fitting capstone to a first half that set the tone for his historic season.
Schwarber’s journey to this point has been anything but ordinary. Drafted fourth overall by the Chicago Cubs in 2014, he debuted in June 2015 and quickly made his mark with a four-hit, two-RBI night in just his second big league game. After four seasons with the Cubs, he was traded to the Nationals in 2021, then to the Red Sox later that summer. The Phillies made their move in March 2022, signing Schwarber to a four-year, $79 million deal that’s proven to be a franchise-defining decision.
Now, as his contract nears its end, the pressure is mounting on the Phillies’ front office to keep their star slugger in red pinstripes. Schwarber is a pending free agent, and speculation is swirling about whether he’ll re-sign with Philadelphia. His impact on the team’s success is undeniable, and the city is holding its breath, hoping he’ll choose to extend his stay.
Meanwhile, the home run race remains a captivating subplot. Cal Raleigh, despite going hitless in the Phillies’ sweep-clinching win, still leads MLB with 47 dingers and is on the verge of breaking the single-season record for home runs by a catcher. Schwarber, Ohtani, and Judge are all within striking distance, promising a dramatic finish to the season.
As the Phillies continue their playoff push, one thing is clear: Kyle Schwarber is at the center of it all, rewriting records, fueling MVP chants, and giving Philadelphia a summer to remember. With every swing, he’s not just chasing history—he’s making it, one home run at a time. The city waits, watches, and wonders: just how high can Schwarber soar in this unforgettable season?
