The Philadelphia Phillies will begin a crucial three-game weekend series against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night, and they are receiving a major boost just in time.
After dropping a series to the Cincinnati Reds earlier this week, Philadelphia is hoping to get back on track. A key factor in that setback was the absence of star designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who had missed the Phillies’ previous three games while dealing with an illness.
Ahead of the opener against Cleveland, the Phillies released their lineup, and Schwarber’s name was back in the starting nine, providing a significant lift for the offense.
Underdog MLB shared the lineup on May 22, writing: “Phillies 5/22: T. Turner SS, K. Schwarber DH, B. Harper 1B, A. Bohm 3B, B. Marsh LF, A. García RF, B. Stott 2B, J. Realmuto C, J. Crawford CF, C. Sánchez SP.”
The news was quickly celebrated by fans and media alike, with @SleeperPhillies posting: “Kyle Schwarber is BACK tonight vs the Guardians!!”
Schwarber’s return cannot be overstated for a Philadelphia lineup that has clearly looked different without him. The veteran slugger remains the engine of the Phillies’ offense, and his absence over the last several days highlighted just how important he is to the team’s success. When Schwarber is not serving as the designated hitter, the lineup often lacks the same level of power, patience, and overall offensive presence.
Although the 2026 season did not begin exactly as Schwarber had hoped, the three-time MLB All-Star has been on a tear since the calendar flipped to May. His resurgence has played a major role in Philadelphia’s turnaround after a difficult opening stretch.
Schwarber has once again established himself as one of baseball’s premier power hitters. Through 50 games, he has already launched 20 home runs and is on a pace that could push him beyond the 60-homer mark this season. He is batting .230 while drawing 31 walks and owns a National League-best 166 OPS+.
His impressive campaign also includes 33 runs scored, 36 RBI, 111 total bases, a .624 slugging percentage, and 1.7 bWAR.
As for the Phillies, they enter the weekend at an even 25-25 record. They will host the Guardians at Citizens Bank Park looking to continue recent momentum after going 7-3 over their last 10 games.
The challenge remains the NL East race. Despite their improved play under Don Mattingly, the Phillies have struggled to gain ground because the Atlanta Braves continue to pile up wins. Philadelphia enters the series 9.5 games behind Atlanta for first place while holding a 13-14 record at home. With Schwarber back in the lineup, the Phillies hope to begin closing that gap.