It's hard not to talk about the Philadelphia Phillies when discussing this year's World Series contenders. Fueled by being eliminated by the New York Mets in October's NL Division Series, the Phillies have opened the 2025 MLB season with a 36-20 record through 56 games, positioning them atop the National League standings.
As usual, the Phillies' success stems from a strong team effort across the board. Several Philadelphia veterans are having terrific performances, including a slugger whom first baseman Bryce Harper wants to see re-signed sooner rather than later.
Bryce Harper Wants Phillies to Re-Sign Kyle Schwarber ASAP
Kyle Schwarber is one Phillies veteran who's having quite the 2025 season to remember, and Harper has made it no secret that he wants the 32-year-old designated hitter to stay in Philadelphia beyond the current season.
"I don't see (Schwarber) playing anywhere else. Obviously, I don't make those decisions," Harper told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "As a team leader and a captain and everything else, he brings so much value to our team. Not only on the field, but off the field as well."
The 2025 season marks the final year of the $79 million contract Schwarber signed with the Phillies back in March 2022. It didn't take long for the two-time MLB All-Star to become a Philly fan favorite, leading the National League with 46 home runs during Year 1 of his contract. He's since hit 47 and 38 HRs in 2023 and 2024, respectively, while tallying exactly 104 RBIs in each campaign.
Schwarber has continued that momentum this season, mashing 19 HRs with 41 RBIs, 43 walks, and a .252/.394/.569 slash line through his first 56 games (202 at-bats). The highlight of his campaign came when he hit a 466-foot round-tripper against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, marking the 300th home run of his career.
With the ability to hit 30-40 HRs and 100-plus RBIs at this stage of his career, it isn't surprising that Phillies fans want Schwarber re-signed just as badly as Harper does. The former 2014 first-rounder has cemented himself as one of the best DHs in the Majors, and Philadelphia likely wouldn't be in the championship conversation without his bat.
The good news is that the club seems to be open to continuing this relationship beyond the 2025 season.
"I mean, we'd love to keep (Schwarber) as part of the organization for the long term, there's no doubt," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told "The Show" on Wednesday. I'm sure there'll be a lot of other clubs that are interested in him, too, but we'd love to keep him as part of the organization and hope that it happens."
Hopefully, the Phillies find a way to keep Schwarber's bat in town, potentially until his career is over. In the meantime, Philadelphia will enter June tied for the third-best 2025 World Series odds (+950) on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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