Kyle Schwarber is already proving himself to be a unique player in Philadelphia Phillies history. Now in his second year with the club, Schwarber is on the cusp of reaching the 40-home run plateau in back to back seasons, one year after leading the National League with 46 bombs in 2022. And while we can debate Schwarber's utility as a very non-prototypical leadoff hitter, his raw power cannot be questioned. Say what you will about the batting average, but he just seems to work within the context of this team's DNA. The Phillies don't have a team captain, but Schwarber has that kind of makeup.
If this pace continues, Schwarber is destined to go down as one of the greatest sluggers in the team's long history by the time all is said and done. It may sound kind of crazy at this somewhat early juncture of his tenure with the Phils, but it's true. When he does eclipse the 40-homer mark once again this year, it will be just the 15th such time that the feat has been accomplished for the Phillies, with only seven players (Schwarber included) being members of the club. It says a lot that so few players have reached this mark in the Phillies' lengthy history. Even when you dismiss the first couple decades of team history since home runs were so scarce, we only see a Phillie launch 40 or more home runs once every six or seven years, on average. So enjoy it while it's happening, because you never know when it will again.
So, as Schwarber stands on the brink of adding another cool entry into the Phillies' record books, let's take a look back at everyone who preceded him in reaching this single season achievement for the team.