Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson spoke about All-Star designated hitter Kyle Schwarber’s importance to the Phillies after he inked a five-year, $150 million deal to return to the team Tuesday.
Schwarber initially signed with the Phillies ahead of the 2022 season, and has made two of his three All-Star appearances while playing in Philadelphia. He finished second in NL MVP voting in 2025, placing only behind Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
“He’s so different than most of the guys I’ve ever been around,” Thomson said. “He’s a great player and he knows how to bring the heartbeat of a clubhouse down when things are going rough. He’s just a huge part of our ballclub.”
Schwarber instantly made an impact during his first season in Philadelphia, leading the National League with 46 home runs and winning a Silver Slugger award in the outfield — his only one to date. He followed up his monstrous 2022 season in Philly with an even better one, hitting a career-high 47 homers and driving in 104 runs, also a career high.
The 2024 season didn’t bring as many home runs for Schwarber, but he still managed an extremely impressive season. He hit 38 home runs, nine fewer than the year prior, but matched his RBI total in 10 fewer games. He also recorded his best OPS in a Phillies uniform up to that point.
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The 32-year-old took a huge step up in 2025, crushing his previous career high in home runs with a National League-leading 56. He also shattered his previous record in RBIs, plating 132 runners over the course of the season.
Schwarber was the Phillies’ second-most valuable batter in terms of bWAR in 2025, posting a career-high 4.7 and finishing only behind shortstop Trea Turner.
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With the NL MVP runner-up back on their team, the Phillies are the clear favorite to win the NL East for the third straight season, and are gearing themselves up to challenge for the World Series, which they haven’t won since 2008.
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