rewrite this title Kyle Schwarber continues to fuel surging Phillies in win over Reds

Schwarber launched the ball 404 feet to right field off of Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott. The two-run blast left Schwarber’s bat at 112.2 mph and would have been a home run in all 30 MLB ballparks, per Baseball Savant.

With the victory, the Phillies (69-49) moved a season-high 20 games above .500. After Monday, they lead the NL East by six games over the New York Mets (63-55), who have lost seven in a row.

After hitting a lull from May 29-June 28, during which time they went 13-16, the Phillies have reemerged as the division’s best team.

Schwarber has played a significant role.

Since June 29, Philadelphia was ninth in runs (167) and fifth in home runs (53) entering Monday. Schwarber, who leads Phillies position players in wins above replacement (3.9), has 17 home runs during the span, the most in MLB. (h/t FanGraphs) 

With his 42nd blast, the 2022 NL home run king is six shy of breaking his personal record (47) set in 2023. He leads the majors with a 60.5% hard hit rate, so it should be only a matter of time before he hits No. 48.

While Schwarber has been an excellent power hitter ever since signing with the Phillies in March 2022, he’s made better contact overall this season, hitting .252. From 2022-24, he hit .221 and averaged 204 strikeouts per season.

If Schwarber sticks the landing over the season’s final 44 games, he should easily be an NL MVP finalist. While a long shot to topple favorite Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers), his career-best season couldn’t have come at a better time with free agency looming in 2026.

And his continued power surge could be what Philly needs to get over the hump and win its first World Series since 2008. The Phillies have reached the playoffs the past three seasons but with diminishing results each time. In 2022, they lost the World Series in six games, followed by a loss in seven games during the 2023 NLCS. Last season, they fell in four in the NLDS.

Schwarber will be key to the Phillies stopping their postseason slide. He’s been on fire all season, leaving few reasons to suggest he’ll fade anytime soon.