Kyle Schwarber Joins Bryce Harper in 2026 Home Run Derby
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Kyle Schwarber has officially joined teammate Bryce Harper in the 2026 Home Run Derby, giving the Phillies two hometown sluggers for next week’s event at Citizens Bank Park. While Schwarber’s announcement had been expected, as Phillies’ interim manager Don Mattingly accidentally let the news slip following Thursday night’s win over the Cincinnati Reds, it still brings a sense of relief. It never felt right that the Major League home run leader wasn’t going to hit in a Home Run Derby being held in his own ballpark.
Schwarber joins Harper in a field that includes Junior Caminero, Ben Rice, Jac Caglianone, Willson Contreras and Jordan Walker. Until now, the biggest storyline wasn’t who was in the Derby. It was why the Major League home run leader wasn’t.
The only thing standing in Schwarber’s way was his back. After missing time with lower back tightness late last month, Schwarber made it clear he wasn’t going to commit unless he felt 100%. Considering he’s returned to the lineup without missing another game and continues to swing one of the hottest bats in baseball, that concern now appears to be behind him.
Schwarber isn’t entering this Derby simply because he’s the hometown favorite. He’s earned it. He leads all of Major League Baseball with 32 home runs while slashing .254/.370/.575 with a .945 OPS through 89 games. If you’re building a Home Run Derby in Philadelphia, it would have been impossible to explain why the biggest home run hitter in baseball wasn’t part of it. Now the attention shifts to whether anyone can outslug him.
This will be Schwarber’s third career Home Run Derby appearance. He reached the finals in 2018 before losing to Harper by one home run in one of the best Derby finals in recent memory. He returned in 2022 before falling to Albert Pujols in a first-round swing-off, then reminded everyone what he can do last summer by going 3-for-3 in the first-ever All-Star Game swing-off to lift the National League to victory. This time, he’ll get the chance to chase his first Derby crown with Citizens Bank Park behind him, and that feels like exactly how this story was supposed to end.
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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