For Kyle Schwarber, 2025 has been a campaign defined by home runs that soared into the night and an NL MVP push built on extraordinary numbers. His 54th homer of the season, launched against the Marlins, vaulted Schwarber ahead of Shohei Ohtani in the league home run race with five games left on the schedule. That blast pushed him beyond 130 RBIs, making Schwarber the first Phillies player to reach that mark since Ryan Howard in 2009. He’s now just four behind Howard’s franchise single-season record of 58 homers.

The numbers back up the buzz: a.930 OPS, top-four average exit velocity, and the 92–64 Phillies surging into October with Schwarber setting the offensive tone. Yet, despite all these seismic achievements, a fellow Phillie has taken the spotlight.

As reported by The Athletic’s Keith Law, Cristopher Sánchez—not Schwarber—deserves the crown as the Phillies’ internal MVP. Law stated, “That defensive noise is why I have Sánchez as the actual Phillies MVP this year, not Turner, and not Kyle Schwarber, whose contract-year push has produced a career year but who is still a DH who can’t add any defensive value and loses some on positional value.” This pronouncement landed as a gut punch for Schwarber. After all, his offense has carried Philadelphia. Yet it spotlights Sánchez’s journey from reliable rotation piece to frontline force, elevating his status.

The 28-year-old left-hander, who secured a $22.5 million extension before this year, has been dominant to the tune of a 2.57 ERA and 7.7 WAR. According to MLB.com’s Brent Maguire, these stats make Sánchez a lock for the top three of the NL Cy Young voting this fall. His excellence did not arrive overnight; it was built with years spent refining his pitch mix, adding muscle, and streamlining his delivery. Manager Rob Thomson called Sánchez’s development “the most remarkable I’ve ever seen.”

In many ways, the difference between the two showcases the Phillies’ evolving identity. Schwarber’s bat brings fireworks. Sánchez, meanwhile, stabilized a rotation reeling after the loss of Zack Wheeler to injury. Once overlooked for the All-Star squad, Sánchez enters October as the Phillies’ ace—a testament to perseverance.

Despite being overshadowed, Schwarber remains quick to elevate teammates who contribute in distinct roles, notably praising Harrison Bader’s late-season arrival.

Kyle Schwarber Thinks Harrison Bader is “a Spark Plug” for the Phillies Lineup

From Schwarber’s perspective, Bader’s presence since August has revived the Phillies’ offense. After stepping into the leadoff role following Trea Turner’s injury, Bader has slashed .339 with a .393 OBP in 14 games at the top. Even more impressive: he’s hit .400 with a .500 OBP as the game’s first batter. Schwarber, now batting behind Bader, called him “everything we’ve needed,” crediting him with delivering critical energy and momentum at a pivotal moment.

But Bader’s impact extends beyond simple numbers. As he explained, batting in front of Schwarber forces pitchers to attack him, knowing the slugger waits on deck with 52 home runs. This means more hittable pitches—a trend Bader has capitalized on, sporting a .373 average and .955 OPS since Turner’s injury. Turner is set to regain the leadoff spot soon, but Schwarber maintains that Bader will remain “a spark plug for us” wherever he bats.

Even as Kyle Schwarber chases records, the bigger story in Philadelphia is about how different stars are stepping up in distinct ways. Sánchez has emerged as the club’s true MVP, while Bader ignites rallies atop the order. With October beckoning, the Phillies’ blend of power, pitching, and timely energy could be the difference in their title run. Stay tuned for more developments.