Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber celebrates after winning the tiebreaker at the MLB baseball … More
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game had an epic ending unlike any of the 94 Midsummer Classics that came before it. The contest was decided in a swing-off, with Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber blasting three home runs on three swings to seal the victory for the National League and take home the MVP honors.
It should come as no surprise that Schwarber would excel in such a format, which was used in lieu of extra innings with the game tied 6-6. The lefty slugger is one of baseball’s preeminent homer hitters. He ranks third in the National League with 30 bombs this season, making this his fifth consecutive year eclipsing 30. Since joining the Phillies in 2022, he has blasted off 161 times. The only players in MLB with more over that span are Aaron Judge (192) and Shohei Ohtani (164).
This was Schwarber’s third All-Star Game, having been named an All-Star previously in 2021 with the Washington Nationals and 2022 representing Philadelphia. He also participated in the 2018 and 2022 Home Run Derbies and the 2015 Futures Game as a Chicago Cubs prospect.
The award is a modicum of retribution for a first-place Philadelphia club that expected to send more representatives to the All-Star Game than Schwarber and pitcher Zack Wheeler. A number of Phillies went on the record with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb decrying some of the selections, including Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski, who was named an All-Star after just five MLB appearances.
Kyle Schwarber’s Numbers
Schwarber has posted some outstanding numbers in his career, including 314 home runs, but 2025 has been his best season to date. He’s batting .247/.378/.545, and his .378 on-base percentage and 151 OPS+, indicating his offense has been 51% better than the league average, are both career highs. He’s also second in the National League with 66 walks, and he even has nine stolen bases.
While he’s known for high strikeout totals—he fanned 200 times in 2022, 215 times in 2023, and 197 times last year—he has brought his biggest offensive flaw under control this season. His 26.3% strikeout rate is 2.1 points lower than it was in 2024, and substantially better than his 29.9% rates in both 2022 and 2023.
Often, when a player reduces their strikeouts, they have to sacrifice some power to do so. That has not been the case with Schwarber, who’s hitting the ball harder than ever. His average exit velocity of 94.1 mph is the highest of his career. For context, his average exit velocity was 92.4 mph in 2023 when he set a personal best with 47 home runs. His isolated slugging percentage—slugging percentage minus batting average, or a measure of pure power—is .298, which is also a career high.
Upcoming Free Agency
It’s fortuitous timing for Schwarber to have such an excellent season, picking up the All-Star Game MVP Award as well. This is the final season of his four-year, $79 million deal with the Phillies, which will make him a free agent this offseason. He’ll turn 33 in spring training next year, but as a designated hitter almost exclusively—he has played just six games in left field this year—his body has incurred limited wear-and-tear and he shows no signs of slowing down. Still, this is probably his best and last opportunity for a lucrative multiyear contract.
Kyle Schwarber will be one of the most coveted players this offseason, as no one else on the market can approach his home run production. For now, he’ll continue powering the Phillies to victory, just as he did in the swing-off for the National League in the All-Star Game.
