Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber made history on Tuesday night. In a season with World Series expectations, Schwarber has helped with 14 leadoff home runs. That is the most in a single season in MLB history, per Sportsnet Stats.
Schwarber has hit 34 home runs this season and has started 14 games by giving the Phillies an early run. He is a unique leadoff hitter who does not fit the typical mold of the position. Schwarber is hitting just .250 this season but has an on-base percentage of .370, the second-highest on the team.
Hitting in the leadoff spot has helped Schwarber hit for a higher average. In 2023, the Phillies' DH spent 101 games at leadoff and the rest across four other positions. Schwarber ended the year with a .197 batting average and .343 OBP. This season has been better in terms of contact hitting while keeping his walk rate very high.
The Phillies and their star-filled lineup have rolled to a seven-game lead in the National League East. They have made deep playoff runs each of the last two years, losing in the World Series and NLCS respectively. Schwarber has been in Philly for both of those defeats and has been a great playoff performer. He hit five home runs in seven games against the Diamondbacks in the 2023 NLCS.
If Schwarber can continue his stellar season into the playoffs, the Phillies will have a great chance to win it all for the first time since 2008.
Phillies' chances in 2024 playoffs
The race for the one seed in the National League is a tight one. The Phillies and Dodgers entered Tuesday's action tied for the league's best record at 86-58. The two teams have not played in the playoffs despite being two of the best teams in baseball over the past few years. Home-field advantage would be key if they did play in the NLCS, especially considering how rowdy the Phillies fans get during October.
Kyle Schwarber is traditionally followed by Trea Turner and Bryce Harper in the Phillies lineup. That is, somehow, the second-best top three in the National League. The Dodgers roll out three former MVPs to start each game Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman. These players are key to getting the one seed and beating the Dodgers in a potential series.
The Phillies were one of the teams who won their Division Series matchup after playing in the Wild Card. They dispatched the Marlins in two games and upset the Braves in four games to reach the NLCS. While that did not go as well, it proved that they had a deep team that could make that kind of run.
Now, it looks like they will be one of the teams getting the bye. They must show that they can benefit from the rest, unlike the three teams that lost last year. Kyle Schwarber continuing to give them 1-0 leads into October will help them get through the Division Series and win the pennant again.
Fangraphs gives the Phillies a 98.1% chance to win the East, 93.1% chance to get the bye, and a 13.1% chance to win the World Series,
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