Philadelphia Phillies: Ranking every MVP season in franchise history

4. Jimmy Rollins, 2007

Eventual Phillies franchise hits leader Jimmy Rollins was a significant factor in the club snapping its postseason drought in the 2007 season. And their “Red October” appearance — albeit brief after being swept in the NLDS by the Colorado Rockies — ultimately set up their World Series championship run the following year.

Rollins is one of six shortstops to ever win National League MVP honors, joining Marty Marion (1944, St. Louis Cardinals); Ernie Banks (1958-59, Chicago Cubs); Dick Groat (1960, Pittsburgh Pirates); Maury Wills (1962, Los Angeles Dodgers); and Barry Larkin (1995, Cincinnati Reds).

In 2007, Rollins became the first player in MLB history to record 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 home runs, and 25 stolen bases in the same season. He also became just the fourth-ever player to record 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, and 20 stolen bases in a season, joining Frank Schulte (1911), Willie Mays (1957), and Curtis Granderson (2007).

That year, Rollins also set career highs in games (162), hits (212), home runs (30), RBI (94), triples (20), total bases (380), extra-base hits (88), and at-bats (716). The Oakland, California, native’s at-bats statistic notably set a new MLB record, previously set by Willie Wilson in 1980 (705).

Rollins additionally set all-time shortstop records for the National League specifically, with his 139 runs scored and 88 extra-base hits. Only Alex Rodriguez had more of the latter (91 for the 1996 Seattle Mariners).

Similar to Bryce Harper in 2021, Rollins’ trophy case was filled with many other honors from the 2007 season. Rollins was named the 2007 Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards winner at shortstop.

In a season in which Rollins homered on Opening Day in his 4,000th career at-bat, it just seemed like nothing could stop the 1996 second-round draft pick from being a difference-maker in red pinstripes.