Top star is guaranteed at least three more games in a Phillies uniform, but fans are hoping for many more. The slugger has become the heart of Philadelphia’s lineup and just turned in the best season of his career. He led the National League with 56 home runs, topped the majors with 132 RBIs, and was one of only six players to appear in all 162 games (Rafael Devers played 163 due to a midseason trade).
The Phillies tried to lock Schwarber up with an extension before the season but couldn’t reach a deal. That decision could prove costly: either they’ll pay a massive sum to keep him or risk losing him to a team willing to meet his price. As the postseason begins, the possibility that Schwarber’s tenure in Philadelphia might be nearing its end lingers—though no one within the organization wants to picture it.
Manager Rob Thomson summed it up before the regular-season finale: “Not only the talent, but what he brings to the room, what he brings to the community. He’s an all-around man… a great human being. It’s hard to think about this team without him.”
The Phillies open the NLDS on Saturday against the winner of the Dodgers-Reds Wild Card series. Schwarber has been one of Philadelphia’s most dangerous postseason bats, with a .933 OPS and 12 homers in 34 games. Still, he struggled last October, going 2-for-16 in the NLDS loss to the Mets.
Philadelphia’s connection with Schwarber is clear, but the team and its fans may need to cherish this playoff run all the more—just in case it ends up being his last in red pinstripes.