After that start, Phillies fans are clamoring for the team to sign Schwarber to a long-term deal. Some have estimated that if the Phillies sign Schwarber to another four-year deal the price tag would be $100 million.
The 2011 Middletown High School graduate, who spent two years at Indiana University before being drafted in the first round by the Chicago Cubs, has hit 14 homers in 149 at-bats, tying him with the New York Yankees Aaron Judge for the MLB lead.
He’s hitting .268 with 32 RBIs and has reached base safely in 47 games, the longest current streak in MLB.
Schwarber’s on-base streak is the fourth longest in Phillies history. He can tie Bobby Abreu (2000-01) at 48 games by reaching base in his next game, with only Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt at 56 games (1981-82) and Chuck Klein at 49 games (1930) ahead of him.
“It’s impressive because I see him now as a complete hitter,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson told the Associated Press Saturday. “He uses the entire field. He takes his walks, but obviously has big-time power. He’s been really impressive through this stretch.”
Schwarber said he hasn’t paid much attention to the streak. He just wants to help the Phillies win.
“To be honest with you, I didn’t even realize anything about it. And then, it started catching on,” Schwarber has said. “My job at the plate is moving the runners and drive guys in. I want to get to my pitch and I don’t want to try to help them out by trying to go to their pitches and things like that, and really trying to stay stubborn to the zone. I’ll take a walk and if I’m getting hits, great.”
Schwarber has said at 32 years old, he believes he still has time to improve his baseball skills.
“I feel like there’s still a better version in the tank,” Schwarber has said. “I’m going to keep trying to make adjustments on a yearly basis. Hopefully, those adjustments keep getting me better and better and better to where it’s kind of flipping the script. With age comes a decline, right? I want it to be the opposite way for me.”
His start, especially the batting average, goes against some of his recent plate performances.
In 2023, Schwarber hit .197 and struck out 215 times, mostly from the leadoff spot. He also hit 47 home runs.
The year before, he struck out 200 times and hit 46 homers.
The biggest difference has been his at-bats against lefties. Schwarber hit .193 against lefties in 2022, and .188 against them in 2023.
Then he hit .300 against lefties last season and .321 this season.
Besides being a two-time all-star, Schwarber’s teams have won during his 10-year Major League Baseball career. His teams have qualified for the playoffs nine times, including a 2016 World Series title with the Cubs.
In Middletown, Schwarber has supported Middie Way Baseball, a grassroots baseball/softball league that was formed a few years ago in hopes of rejuvenating those youth sports in Middletown.
He has been the Phillies’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for his work with Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes, which started in 2017 “to express gratitude for the unique sacrifices of first responders and their families by creating positive experiences, as well as funding wellness, education and crisis needs for first-responder families.”
Three years ago, Schwarber served as grand marshal of the annual Santa Parade in Middletown and he was joined by his wife, Paige, also a Middletown native.
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