Former Boston Red Sox slugger Kyle Schwarber flourished throughout his first campaign with the Philadelphia Phillies last season, which was rewarded with recognition on MLB Network.
While Schwarber flirted with career lows at the plate and batted .218/.323/.504 through 155 games, he provided the Phillies with exactly what they needed. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was tasked with replacing ex-left fielder Andrew McCutchen, which he did. Schwarber delivered a bat with top-of-the-league pop along with plenty of postseason experience.
And it paid off.
After the Phillies snagged Schwarber on a four-year, $79 million deal, the All-Star proceeded to crush a career-high 46 home runs. That mark led the National League and came second to Aaron Judge’s record-setting 62 with the New York Yankees. He earned Player of the Month honors in June after slashing .272/.385/.680 with 12 blasts off his left-handed power swing.
Defensively, Schwarber notched a .995 fielding percentage with 182 putouts recorded through 186 defensive chances.
Here’s the full top 10 list for left fielders, courtesy of MLB.com:
1. Yordan Álvarez, Houston Astros
2. Juan Soto, San Diego Padres
3. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
4. Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels
5. Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays
6. Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
7. Tyler O’Neil, St. Louis Cardinals
8. Michael Brantley, Houston Astros
9. Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs
10. Eloy Jiménez, Chicago White Sox
Schwarber didn’t stop after Game 162.
The Phillies made a more than convincing run in October, which came up short in the World Series against the Houston Astros. Schwarber displayed his raw power and finished 17 postseason games with six homers — tied with Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins for team lead — with 10 RBIs.
With Philadelphia on another quest for a return to the Fall Classic, evident in its offseason signings, Schwarber will have big expectations heading into 2023.
