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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 03: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates a solo home run in the seventh inning during a game against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park on June 03, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
T
he Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start to the MLB season.
Since interim manager Don Mattingly took over, the Phillies have gone 38-18 following Sunday’s 5-4 win over the New York Mets. They now sit at 47-37 overall, just three games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East.
Kyle Schwarber Sparks Phillies’ Win
At the forefront of Philadelphia’s success has been Kyle Schwarber, who hit a go-ahead two-run homer on Sunday for his 30th of the season.
“It was definitely a big home run,” Schwarber said. “It was kind of that spot where they took the lead and got a little momentum on their side. [Crawford] got it going and we got the momentum right back.
“Any time we come here, they’re always high-stress games and quality games on both sides of the field. To get the momentum was a good feeling.”
Schwarber Makes Franchise History
Not only is Schwarber the first player in MLB this season to reach 30 home runs, but following the win, MLB also shared historic news about the 33-year-old.
He has become the fastest player in Phillies history to reach 30 home runs in a season by team games played (84).
Kyle Schwarber is the fastest @Phillies player to reach 30 HRs in a season by team games played (84) in franchise history! pic.twitter.com/NuiNI4UA5G
— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2026
It also marked the 370th home run of Schwarber’s MLB career, moving him past Todd Helton and Ralph Kiner on the all-time home run list.
While Schwarber acknowledged the significance of reaching 30 home runs this early in the season, he said that’s not where his focus lies.
“You know, it was funny, I remember the first time I hit 30 home runs in 2017, and I always felt like that was a cool number to get to,” Schwarber added. “I’m very fortunate to get to this point this early, but it’s not something I truly focus on. It’s more about taking quality at-bats and trying to help any way possible.”
Phillies Upcoming Schedule
The Phillies return home Monday night to begin a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
After that, they’ll embark on a nine-game road trip with series against the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers before returning home in mid-July to face the New York Mets.
Cole Sullivan Cole Sullivan is a sports journalist for Heavy.com covering the NFL, NBA, college football, and college basketball. A member of the United States Basketball Writers Association, he has written for FanSided, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, and Newsweek. Sullivan earned an Associate degree from Franklin Pierce University and a Bachelor’s degree from Lynn University, where he studied Communications and Media Studies with a focus on Sports Journalism. More about Cole Sullivan
