Leadoff homers aside, Schwarber was still one of the Phillies best hitters in 2024
It’s a niche stat, but Kyle Schwarber is the indisputable best in Major League history at one thing. Whether it set the tone for the game or dug his starter out of an early hole, Schwarber set a new MLB record with 15 leadoff home runs in one season.
KYLE SCHWARBER LEADOFF TANK pic.twitter.com/yJdMJsDINQ
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2024
That wasn’t the only good thing about his season, though. Overall, he was one of the team’s best, and most consistent, hitters in 2024.
2024 Stats: 150 G, 692 PA, .248/.366/.485, 142 H, 104 RBI, 38 HR, 197 K, 106 BB, 137 OPS+, 3.4 fWAR
The Good
In addition to the aforementioned MLB record, Schwarber had an overall good year at the plate. He led the league in walks (106), tied his career high in RBI (104), set a career high in runs scored (110), struck out under 200 times for the first time in a Phillies uniform, and finished 15th in MVP voting — the highest in his career.
He surprisingly didn’t have a monster June like he tends to have, but made up for that by remaining relatively consistent throughout the entire season.
The Bad
Schwarber continues to be a below average fielder, which has essentially handcuffed him to the DH role. This lack of flexibility has continued to stifle the Phillies at times, particularly when injuries pop up.
The Future
It seems like every year there’s intense discussion whether Schwarber is/should be a leadoff hitter. Rob Thomson has said that he still isn’t sure if he wants to keep Schwarber in the leadoff position, and that decision likely won’t be made until much closer to Opening Day. What do you think, should he be the leadoff again in 2025? Sound off in the comments.