When Kyle Schwarber hit the free agency market in the 2022 offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies jumped on the opportunity to add him to their organization. They were looking for a power home run-hitting bat from the left side and Schwarber fit that mold to a tee.
The Phillies added the then 28-year-old by signing him to a four-year, $79 million contract. Schwarber had been a proven winner along his career and the Phillies were ready to make that leap into contention going into the 2022 season on an 11-year playoff drought.
Up to that point in his career, Schwarber had spent seven years in the league. In 664 games, he had accumulated 522 hits, 153 home runs, 350 RBIs and 338 walks while slashing .237/.343/.493 for an OPS of .836. On a 162 game average, his statistics were as solid as you can get with 127 hits, 37 home runs, 85 RBIs and 82 walks.
Fast-forward four years to now, the final year of Schwarber’s deal, and the Phillies couldn’t have imagined how important he would be to their franchise over the course of the four years. All anyone can talk about now is how vital it is for the Phillies that they extend their clubhouse leader and ensure he is in red pinstripes for years to come.
Preston Mattingly knows how important Kyle Schwarber is and wants to keep him with the Phillies
The Phillies fans are clamoring for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, general manager Preston Mattingly and the front office to extend Schwarber and ensure that he is with the Phillies for the foreseeable future. Phillies fans are worried that Schwarber will elect to hit the open market.
While Mattingly wasn’t going to reveal any real intel, he did say something that Phillies fans will be happy to hear. In a recent interview on 94 WIP with Devan Kaney and Ruben Amaro Jr., Mattingly said: “Kyle is a priority for us. He’s a guy we are very thrilled with and a guy that we would love to be a part of the Phillies going forward.”
"Kyle [Schwarber] is a priority for us."
— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) May 25, 2025
We had Phillies GM Preston Mattingly on the show yesterday to talk Schwarber extension, Phillies bullpen, trade deadline, Andrew Painter and more. Check it out: @RAJr_20 @SportsRadioWIP pic.twitter.com/EoER8hL0zu
Looking at the numbers alone would show that the Phillies would be making a mistake letting him walk. In the last four years, Schwarber has hit .225/.348/.496 for an OPS of .844 with 443 hits, 151 home runs, 348 RBIs and 361 walks. Extrapolate that for a 162-game average and those numbers are 136 hits, 46 home runs, 107 RBIs and 111 walks.
From 2022 to today, he leads the National League in home runs with 151. That's 16 more than Pete Alonso, who is second with 132 during that timeframe. During the same time, he also ranks first in walks by a wide margin of 42 over second place Juan Soto, and he ranks third in the NL in RBIs.
There is no doubt that the 32-year-old has stepped up his game between the lines since he came to Philly.
May we interest you in a Schwarbomb? pic.twitter.com/gSt0K8VeHk
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 11, 2025
Schwarber is more valuable to the Phillies than his on-field production
But Schwarber is more than just a talented baseball player. He is clearly a winner and a leader in the clubhouse. The Phillies had an 11-year playoff drought in the years preceding the addition of Schwarber in 2022. Of course, there were other players contributing to the winning, but since 2022, the Phillies are 309-241 for a 56.2 winning percentage. They have made the playoffs three consecutive years and reached the World Series in 2022.
The culture has changed since Schwarber became a part of this franchise. In a May 5 interview with Intentional Talk on the MLB Network, Schwarber spoke about staying on a level field and not riding the roller coaster of the season. He mentions that since he came to Philadelphia that he has focused on that and trying to take each day for what it is. He has been able to spread that throughout the clubhouse, and the other players look up to him.
Kyle Schwarber will surely be an incredibly sought-after free agent if he hits the open market this offseason. With his unique and vital qualities of being a tremendous hitter paired with an outstanding leader, the question is just how much he will be able to demand and for how long. If he continues at the torrid pace he has set so far in 2025, he will be able to ask for almost anything he wants. He has made Philadelphia his home the last four years and, hopefully, for a much longer time.