The Hall of Fame is a coveted group in MLB, one that only a fraction of players will ever have the privilege of joining. It's what every player dreams of accomplishing at the end of a long career. The Philadelphia Phillies have many veterans that could join that list in due time. That includes their big slugger Kyle Schwarber, despite many now-accepted metrics pointing in the other direction. There's a case for Schwarber, and it's one that Phillies fans should be proud of.
In honor of Carlos Beltrán, Jeff Kent, and Andruw Jones being enshrined this weekend, Jayson Stark of The Athletic put out his list of active players and their current standing in their Hall of Fame chases (subscription required). Schwarber was put into the “moving the chains” category, meaning he still has some work to do, but is moving in the right direction. Stark made quite the case for Schwarber, pointing out the impressive accomplishments he's already had.
Kyle Schwarber's Hall of Fame case seems more realistic than ever before
Stark talks about Schwarber's 127 home runs he's hit since the start of 2024, matching the gap between him and 500 home runs in his career. Schwarber is on pace for another 50-home run season in 2026, so who's to say that can't be reached by the time his playing career is over?
What Schwarber lacks in bWAR (22.1), he makes up for in sheer power and leadership ability in a clubhouse. If he's able to make the 500 Home Run cCub, he would become just the 29th player all-time to do so. 19 of those players are already in the Hall of Fame, with the rest either not being eligible yet or having been previously linked to performance-enhancing substances.
Stark also mentions Schwarber's career .907 OPS in the postseason. That's an impressive number regardless of who you are, given also his extensive 10 years of postseason play. Among players with at least 250 plate appearances, his .907 OPS ranks eighth all-time. His 23 postseason home runs also tie him for third all-time and are the most ever by a left-handed hitter.
Schwarber isn't a slam dunk case as of now, but there's something to be said about how much stock he's amassed for himself since he signed with Philadelphia. He's tallied MVP votes, including a runner-up to Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar Shohei Ohtani last season, and has become a perpetual leader in the clubhouse. Schwarber has some work ahead of him before his shot at baseball immortality, but he's got time and an already proud resume that shouldn't be overlooked.
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