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Schwarber Returns After Illness, Leads MLB with 20 Homers

5/23/2026

33 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Schwarber Returns, Homers

Kyle Schwarber returned Friday after a three-game gastrointestinal illness.
He leads MLB with 20 homers, hits .230 with a .980 OPS, and recorded nine homers in his last ten games, putting him on a 65-home-run pace through 47 games.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said the short break should not affect Schwarber’s performance.
The Phillies are 25-25 as they begin a three-game series against the 30-22 Guardians.

Summary

Schwarber Raises Funds

Kyle Schwarber’s block party at Union Transfer in Philadelphia raised $443,000 for first responders and their families.
He performed on bass with indie-rock group Mt. Joy, covering “Seven Nation Army.”
The money will help emergency-service personnel cope with financial strains from recent severe-weather incidents.
Organizers said local vendors and volunteers boosted neighborhood solidarity during the event.

Summary

Sanchez Starts

Left-handed ace Cristopher Sanchez will start Friday against the Guardians, posting an ERA under 2.00 and allowing no runs this month.
The Phillies enter the May 22, 2026 series at a .500 record (25-25) and 13-14 at home.
They lost two of three to the Reds, ending a seven-game series streak after a six-series winning run.
Cleanup hitter Alec Bohm is on an 11-game hitting streak, boosting the lineup.

History

Historical Context

After the 1994 strike halted MLB and cancelled the World Series, the 1998 home-run chase—Mark McGwire’s record-breaking 70 homers (surpassing Roger Maris’s 61) and Sammy Sosa’s 66—revived fan interest and helped the sport recover from the labor dispute. That excitement also inspired later fan-driven events, and today’s Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber carries the power-hitting legacy forward.

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Schwarber Returns, Homers

Kyle Schwarber returned Friday after a three-game gastrointestinal illness.
He leads MLB with 20 homers, hits .230 with a .980 OPS, and recorded nine homers in his last ten games, putting him on a 65-home-run pace through 47 games.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said the short break should not affect Schwarber’s performance.
The Phillies are 25-25 as they begin a three-game series against the 30-22 Guardians.

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