Jul 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber (12) comes out of the dugout for a curtin call after his grand slam during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Phillies general manager Dave Dombrowski appeared on MLB Now Monday, and among other topics, he was asked about Kyle Schwarber, who is currently in the last year of his Phillies contract.
Of course, like most people are when they're asked about Kyle Schwarber, Dombrowski was nothing but complimentary.
"Well, he's great. I can't say one bad thing about Kyle Schwarber. He's a tremendous hitter, clutch hitter, leader in the clubhouse. He's everything that you want with a club. We'd love to have him back in the organization for years to come," Dombrowski told MLB Now.
"No, it probably won't be easy, but he's shined as a Phillie, the organization loves him, the fans love him and I think he enjoys being part of the organization. We'll wait and see what happens, but we're welcoming him with open arms, by all means."
That answer, while very noncommittal, at least makes it clear that Schwarber has made quite the impression on the entire Phillies organization.
On the field, Schwarber has excelled, hitting 172 home runs in just four years (and 2025 isn't even over yet) and somehow only getting better with age.
2025 has easily been his best year yet. Schwarber currently leads the National League in home runs with 42. He's hit 12 home runs in 22 games since the All-Star Break. In other words, he's homering more than once every other game. That's a historic pace.
But perhaps more notable than his on-the-field impact: despite sharing a roster with two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber has emerged as the unquestioned leader of the Phillies clubhouse.
His teammates constantly sing his praises. Brandon Marsh referred to Schwarber as his "dad on the team" in a video posted by MLB Monday. Bryce Harper is on the front lines leading the charge for the Phillies to re-sign Schwarber.
Bryce Harper to @destiny_lugardo on Kyle Schwarber’s future: “I can’t see him in any other uniform, and I think he deserves to be here.” pic.twitter.com/7je5RiYVPj
That hasn't gone unnoticed by Dombrowski. In fact, Dombrowski has highly valued that aspect of Schwarber since 2022, when the Phillies first signed him.
"The one thing about Schwarbs, anywhere that you talked and the homework you did, he is a leader in the clubhouse. He's a winner. He's a unique person," Dombrowski said.
"And you're not just going to pay for that. But he has the ability that he has, plus he brings those intangibles to the club. So he was somebody that we thought was very important to our organization."
Dombrowski also noted that at the time, the Phillies were in a position where they "hadn't won in a long time." This is true. There's no need to rehash the 2011-2022 playoff drought.
Schwarber came with a World Series championship and a history of clutch hitting in the playoffs. The Phillies needed that.
"He's a proven winner," Dombrowski said. "We thought he would be a very important person, not only in the lineup, but what he could bring to us as a teammate and as a leader in our club."
Clearly, Schwarber has delivered on all that Dombrowski expected of him and more. Unless he signs an in-season extension, which is unlikely, he will be a highly coveted free agent this winter. If Schwarber hits the market, it sounds like the Phillies will at least throw their hat into the ring.
