MVP Chants for Schwarber After Dominant Series for Phillies Star Against the Orioles
Aug 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber (12) watches his grand slam home run during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Kyle Schwarber didn’t just show up against Baltimore. He owned the series and did so in just one game of the series.
The long ball display started early in the opener. Bryce Harper started off the Phillies’ power surge with a home run in the first inning. Tyler O’Niell hit a 2 run home run in the second inning, and Jordan Westburg added another in the third, giving the Orioles some hope, but the show was just beginning.
Schwarber stepped up and launched a 427-foot shot to the second deck, his 39th of the season, tying the game and flipping the momentum. That was the spark, and it was palpable in the park.
After Harrison Bader hit his first as a Phillie, a 3-run shot breaking the 3-3 tie, the Phillies continued to hit any pitcher that Baltimore threw out there with three singles in a row, and once again, Schwarber stepped up with the chance to make a statement in what is already a career year for him.
He didn’t let the fans down, launching his 40th home run on a Yaramil Hiraldo fastball in a grand fashion, unloading the bases with an impressive grand slam. Though not as far as the first home run, because of the moment, it was a much more monumental blast.
It’s a very good thing there isn’t a roof on Citizens Bank Park, because it would have been torn off after that home run with the explosive fan ovation.
Before the All-Star break, Schwarber was already raking: .250/.373/.500 with 22 homers and a .873 OPS. That’s not “starting slow”, that’s All-Star level production. Since the break, he’s taken it up another gear: .321/.471/.603, with a 1.074 OPS and six more bombs in 18 games. No one else in the National League has been more consistent at the plate all season.
If the MVP is about elite production over 162 and changing the feel of your lineup, Schwarber’s in the mix. He’s not padding numbers in meaningless innings; he’s carrying wins. The numbers are matching the eye test, and when he gets going, the rest of the lineup follows. Trea Turner’s been more aggressive early in counts. Harper’s been getting more solid contact and hitting much better since the break. This is what Schwarber does when he’s locked in: he turns a good offense into a dangerous one.
The second and third games of the series weren’t as loud as game one, but that game set the tone for the whole series, which is what a star player and an MVP does. Set up his team for a series win, and get the momentum going by stepping up in big moments. Stepping up in the big moments has been a strength of Schwarber’s all season; however, the Phillies’ closing out 3-game sweeps has been a massive weakness, essentially leaving wins on the table. The team is 4-9 in sweep closeout games, with an abysmal -12 run differential in these games. This is something that needs to get cleaned up by October.
The chants have started for MVP, and let’s be completely honest here, it takes an incredible season for a designated hitter to win the MVP award, but as of right now, there are 2 DH players in the running with Schwarber and Shohei Ohtani. There is still just under 2 months to go in the season, but hitting the 40 home run mark first is a huge thing.
Schwarber doesn’t feel human at this point, and the level of buzz and excitement is on another level. Can he make a run at Ryan Howard‘s Phillies single-season home run record of 58? Stats show that it is a realistic possibility, so the rest of this summer will be exciting for not only the fans and Schwarber himself, but also his agent, with free agency on the horizon.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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