The Philadelphia Phillies did plenty of celebrating on Friday night and it had more to do than just the 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Two-time National League MVP Bryce Harper made history in the victory, collecting his 1,000th career RBI on a bloop single in the fifth inning. The milestone cements the 32-year-old’slegacy as he became only the 14th player in MLB history to reach 1,000 RBIs, runs, and walks before turning 33 years old.
As the celebration waned and the Phillies turned their attention to Saturday’s game, the biggest question is who will be Philadelphia's next player to reach a milestone.
With that in mind, a Phillies slugger is on the verge of his own milestone ahead of Saturday's rematch with the Pirates, and it comes amid an unclear future that has turned into one of the biggest storylines of the season.
Kyle Schwarber Poised to Hit 300th HR Amid Uncertain Phillies Future
Kyle Schwarber could join the history books as he enters Saturday with 299 career home runs. His next round-tripper will make him the 163rd player to join the 300-home run club, but it comes with a cloud as he plays out the final year of his contract.
Schwarber made it clear he was looking for a new deal during Spring Training as he nears the end of a four-year, $79 million deal signed in 2022. While the two sides couldn’t agree to a deal before the start of the year, the contract has continued to linger over his season as he was asked about it during last weekend’s series with the Cleveland Guardians.
“I feel like I live on a daily basis, just like trying to get through the day and go from there,” Schwarber told Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer. "But this is where I feel like I’ve truly gotten to be myself and be the player I’m able to be.”
Based on his recent numbers, Schwarber should be able to get a payday somewhere. His 146 home runs are the third-most since signing with the Phillies, trailing only Shohei Ohtani (148) and Aaron Judge (172). His 336 RBIs rank sixth during that timeframe, which is more impressive considering he’s been Philadelphia's primary leadoff hitter for the majority of his tenure.
Schwarber has continued to build his case with a strong season at the plate. Entering Saturday’s game with the Phillies, Schwarber has slashed .263/.398/.575 with 15 home runs and 34 RBI, but while those numbers are catnip for any offensively starved team, his defense leaves plenty of concerns.
After playing 139 games in left field during his first season in Philadelphia, Schwarber has played just nine total games in the outfield over the past two seasons while logging a minus-20 in defensive runs saved in his last full-time role in the outfield (2023). Although Schwarber countered by playing first base during Spring Training, he'll likely remain a designated hitter for the rest of his career.
With teams looking for versatile veterans, designated hitters have gotten a raw deal in free agency. Joc Pederson was the only full-time DH to get a multi-year contract last winter – a two-year, $47 million deal with the Texas Rangers – but the other six major league contracts were one-year pacts worth an average of $5.75 million.
Schwarber’s track record should get him something closer to Pederson’s annual average value, but he may have a hard time getting a new deal, which could make his upcoming milestone a little more somber than Harper’s was on Friday night.