PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Schwarber‘s 2025 has already been a massive success.
But wouldn’t it be fun if he made history in the season’s final four regular-season games?
He crushed his 55th and 56th home runs of the season in Wednesday night’s 11-1 victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park as the Phillies hit a franchise-record eight homers to clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs. Schwarber’s blasts moved him within two homers of tying Ryan Howard for the single-season franchise record. Howard, who was in attendance on Wednesday, hit a record 58 homers in 2006, when he won the NL MVP Award.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Schwarber said, when asked about his season. “I know that it’s been a successful season, not just for me, but for a lot of guys in the clubhouse and for our team in general. You know, back-to-back NL East champions, going to the playoffs again. We just got a bye, being one of the top two teams in the National League. So, there’s a lot to be proud of. And we’re not done yet.
“You don’t just want to be remembered for regular seasons. You want to be remembered for special things down the road.”
Edmundo Sosa became the first shortstop in Phillies history to hit three homers in a game. Jimmy Rollins had nine two-homer games in his career. Trea Turner has eight.
“You saying that again, chills again,” Sosa said through the team’s interpreter. “I’m a firm believer that if you work hard, if you do things the right way, if your heart’s in a great place, and if you play with 100 percent of your effort, great things are bound to happen to you. It was my turn today to be a part of history, to be a part of this great feat. When you mention all those great names, All-Star players, Hall of Fame players that have been a part of baseball and a part of this great team, it just makes me even more excited.”
Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm and Otto Kemp also homered in the record-setting night.
Schwarber’s third-inning homer against Marlins left-hander Ryan Weathers made it 1-1. It was his 23rd homer this season against a lefty, which are the most homers by a lefty batter vs. a lefty pitcher in a season in baseball history, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
“There’s been a lot of hard work put into that,” Schwarber said. “It kind of takes you back to 2020, getting non-tendered, then you sign a one-year deal and get with a really good hitting coach [current Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long]. He came up with a plan and attacked it and it’s grown over the years.
“Hopefully, it keeps going.”
Sosa and Stott each homered in the fourth to make it 3-1. Stott’s homer against Weathers was his first against a lefty since May 18, 2024. It also was the longest of his career at 441 feet, according to Statcast.
Sosa’s three-run homer in the fifth made it 6-1.
Schwarber crushed a Statcast-projected 468-foot solo shot into the second deck in right field in the seventh. It was the first of four homers the Phillies hit in the inning. It was the first time the Phils hit four homers in an inning since the seventh inning of an Aug. 17, 1985, game against the Cubs (Juan Samuel, Glenn Wilson, Mike Schmidt and Darren Daulton).
Bohm followed Schwarber with a solo shot. Kemp’s two-run homer tied the franchise record.
“I think that’s one of the first franchise records that I’m a part of,” Kemp said, smiling.
Sosa’s solo shot broke it.
A fan in the first row in left field tried, but failed to catch Sosa’s third homer. For a moment, it looked like Sosa might be stuck at second because of fan interference.
But the ball clearly cleared the fence.
“Hit a fourth,” Stott joked with Sosa, who had not played since Sept. 12 because of leg injury.
Afterward, Kemp was asked which homer impressed him the most.
“Kemp’s,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who happened to be walking by.
“I’m going to go with Schwarber’s [in the seventh],” Kemp said. “I thought he almost killed someone.”
“Sosa getting three,” Bohm said. “The first day off the IL. Other than myself, there’s no one I’d rather see hit three homers. He’s just always ready to play. He’s always a great teammate. It makes it even cooler when it happens to be everybody’s favorite guy. Everybody loves him.”
It was a fun night to clinch a bye. Jesús Luzardo pitched seven innings. He struck out 10, setting a career-high 216 strikeouts. But the eight homers made the night unforgettable.
“It’s always fun on those days where, you know, everybody’s kind of chipping in,” Bohm said. “The dugout is fun. Everybody’s happy. Those are the kind of days that make up for some of the tougher days.”
