Kyle Schwarber has been on a tear of late. The star slugger became the eighth Philadelphia Phillies hitter to homer in five straight games, a franchise record. Over that stretch, Schwarber is 8-for-22 at the plate with six home runs.
On May 12 against the Boston Red Sox, Schwarber tied the record with a titanic blast of Brayan Bello in the first inning. The other players to accomplish that feat include Dick Allen (1969), Mike Schmidt (1979), Bobby Abreu (2005), Chase Utley (twice in 2008), Rhys Hoskins (2017), Odubel Herrera (2018), and Trea Turner (2023).
The Phillies will face Sonny Gray in the second of a three-game series at Fenway Park. The added twist to this home run chase is that Schwarber’s previous club before coming to Philadelphia in 2022 was the Red Sox.
The left-handed slugger is set to bat leadoff against Boston. He’ll have four, possibly as many as five, plate appearances to try to break the record.
Notable Home Run Milestones for Kyle Schwarber in 2026
Since returning to the Phillies on a $150 million contract, 2026 has been a year of home run milestones for Schwarber. The first was his 350th career home run on April 30 against the San Francisco Giants. 10 days later, he blasted his 200th with the Phillies against the Colorado Rockies.
Schwarber got off to a slow start in the 2026 season, but has heated up under interim manager Don Mattingly. Since April 28, he has been slashing .291/.381/.782 with eight home runs.
His hot streak, coupled with better performances from the rotation, has resulted in a remarkable turnaround. The Phillies have won 11 of 14 games since the managerial change and have climbed out of the National League East basement.
A Schwarber home run typically serves as a solid barometer for the Phillies’ success in terms of wins and losses. Philadelphia is 10-5 this season when he homers and 10-17 when he doesn’t. They are 2-0 in both of his multi-homer games, which came on April 13 and May 10.
Kyle Schwarber is the Top Candidate to Participate in the Home Run Derby
With the MLB All-Star Game set to be played in Philadelphia in 2026, Schwarber is the top candidate to participate in the Home Run Derby. It would be a chance for the 33-year-old to show off in front of his fan base.
116 of his 357 career home runs have come at Citizens Bank Park, the most of any park he’s played in. In 2026, 13 of his 17 home runs have also come at his home park. Citizens Bank Park has the highest three-year rolling park factor on Statcast at 133, making it the ideal fit for someone with Schwarber’s skill set with the bat.
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