Team USA was tied 1-1 in their World Baseball Classic matchup against Team Great Britain. Until Kyle Schwarber stepped up to the plate. The Philadelphia Phillies slugger blasted a moonshot 427 feet to give Team USA a 3-1 lead. They wouldn't look back from there, winning 9-1.
Schwarber's home run was impressive in its own right. Although many of his teammates, including Orion Kerkering saw it coming. Just seeing the designated hitter at the plate, the relief pitcher knew the ball was going over the fence, via Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“You could just see it in Kyle’s eyes,” Kerkering said. “‘Yep, there it is.’ I saw the pitch and I’m like, ‘That’s a homer.’”
The home run prediction wasn't the only thing the Phillies agreed on. Both Kerkering and fellow teammate Tanner Banks disagree with Statcast as far as how far Schwarber's long ball traveled.
“[Statcast] said 427,” Kerkering said. “I go — ‘That’s a lie.’ That went further than 427.”
“It went halfway up the second deck,” Banks added.
No matter the official distance of the home run, Team USA will take the runs scored. As will the Phillies once MLB's regular season commences. Philadelphia invested heavily in the designated hitter, giving him a $150 million extension during the offseason. Now, they'll be expecting results.
Based on Schwarber's past performance, the Phillies will feel confident in their decision. The DH is coming off of his third career All-Star appearance in 2025 after hitting .240 with a career-high 56 home runs and 132 RBIs. His four years with the Phillies have produced 187 home runs and 434 RBIs.
While Philadelphia will be relying on Schwarber's bat, so will Team USA throughout the WBC. If he stays hot, the DH will remain a scary for for any pitcher in his path.
