Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber has undoubtedly been adored by the Philly faithful since joining the team after being acquired during free agency in 2022. From Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes to the slugger's partnership with Yards Brewing Company, he has made his mark on this city in his stint in Philadelphia, regardless of what his impending free agency might look like. As his initial contract in Philadelphia comes to a close, Schwarber is attempting to do something unthinkable to button up his Phillies tenure: compete against Shohei Ohtani for the National League MVP.
After deciding to hold off on potential contract extension negotiations until after this season, many Phillies fans, including fellow Philly sports legend Charles Barkley have shifted their focus from the possible hurt of Schwarber leaving Philadelphia in the long haul that is free agency, to enjoying "the now" as Schwarber chases down his second MVP title in 2025, his first coming during this year's All-Star game.
NBA legend Charles Barkley endorses Kyle Schwarber for MLB’s National League MVP
Barkley, who has always sung Schwarber’s praises, was a guest host on MLB Tonight’s “Crawsover Edition” as he joined Matt Vasgersian on the broadcast of a game between the Phillies’ rivals, the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. During the fourth inning, as one of the team’s relievers, former Phillie Gregory Soto, began to warm up in the bullpen for the Mets, Barkley reminisced on some of the greatest power hitters he’s seen.
“I think my boy Kyle Schwarber is going to steal the National League MVP,” Barkley said.
Chuck is all in on Schwarbs 😆
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 13, 2025
(via MLB Network) pic.twitter.com/hRrvvf3xSO
Despite Ohtani’s versatility both at the plate and on the mound as he wears a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, Schwarber’s case is compelling, even if he’s only had seven starts in left field out of his 121 games played, ranking third among NL players. He currently ranks second in the NL in home runs with 42, just one behind the Dodgers' cornerstone. Schwarber also ranks second in the NL with 98 RBIs and a .577 slugging percentage, while sitting third with a .948 OPS.
Between the "MVP" chants that have erupted nightly at the Bank and an endorsement like Barkley's, the hype around the slugger's MVP case is gaining traction beyond the Philadelphia sports scope.
The 2025 NL MVP race very well could see a first for the sport, with both the projected first- and second-place finishers among voters being primary DHs. As the Phillies' offensive powerhouse continues to slug and provide clutch at-bats for this team, the justification for why Schwarber's name is in MVP talks becomes clearer and clearer. While Ohtani's two-way status is legendary baseball history, considering all that makes a player the "most valuable" goes beyond his offensive or defensive production and has been put on display by No. 12 all season in his potential last in a Phillies uniform.