Kyle Schwarber's message will have Phillies fans ready to run through a wall

Kyle Schwarber is where he's meant to be. He and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract this week, conceivably keeping him in Philadelphia for the rest of his career. Schwarber was excited to return, and the fan base was right behind him.

Schwarber was widely expected to be the first domino to fall this winter, with high anticipation that he would return to where he's spent the last four seasons. It happened, and it feels like the journey is just beginning after hearing from Schwarber speak for the first time since signing his new deal.

"Philly! We can’t tell you how excited we are! Can’t wait to keep riding with you guys and to get the job done," Schwarber posted to cial media, his first post since signing his new contract.

Kyle Schwarber has Phillies fans ready for more Red October

Schwarber was interviewed remotely by MLB Network the day after signing his new deal. He was asked about his ultimate decision to rejoin the Phillies after getting a taste of free agency (subscription required).

“Yeah, I mean, I feel like I wanted to respect the process and respect everything that goes into being a free agent,” Schwarber said. “And there were a lot of great conversations to be had. I thank everyone for those conversations, but at the end of the day, you know, that I feel like I've grown as a player in Philadelphia the last four years. I feel like there is a neutral respect between both of us, and you know, I know that there's a lot of unfinished business to be had there.”

The Phillies and Schwarber haven't been able to get back to the World Series since that magical 2022 run. But the slugger is ready to change that.

“I want to see this through. I want to win a World Series in Philadelphia, and I want to win more than one," Schwarber said. "And I know our ownership, and I know, Dave, and I know our whole organization from top to bottom is committed to doing that. We're all looking forward to that opportunity again to get into, you know, get the season rolling and hopefully making it to the postseason, and trying to make a deep run into finishing this thing off.”

Schwarber has done his part since joining the Phillies and has been a catalyst for their playoff success. He's hit 187 home runs since 2022, tied for the second-most in MLB. He's also been an unbelievable leader in the Phillies clubhouse, being a calming veteran presence in some of the craziest playoff atmospheres in baseball.

Schwarber is normally stoic when it comes to his nature, but you can see the emotion behind what it means to him to have more time in Philadelphia.

“You hope as a player, that at the end of the day, that you’re gonna leave your mark on an organization and a fan base," Schwarber said. "And I’m glad I’m gonna have five more years to continue to do that here in Philadelphia.”

If there's one player the Phillies had to retain, it was Schwarber. The unexpected outcome of him joining this club in 2022 and becoming this team's version of David Ortiz is unprecedented. He's been an inspiration for this baseball team from the beginning, and now with this new deal, the team gets to ride with him a little longer. As long as the Phillies continue to spend and stay committed to winning, Schwarber will be there to lead.