Sep 9, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber (12) acknowledges the crowd after hitting his 50th home run of the season during the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
As Kyle Schwarber stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the seventh inning, it was the 50th plate appearance since he had last hit a home run.
That night was historic. Four round-trippers in a game, becoming just the 21st person to accomplish one of the sport's most rare feats.
But the drought since has also been historic. No one had ever gone 49 plate appearances between four-baggers No. 49 and 50.
Schwarber wasn't about to become the first to extend that dry spell to 50.
Instead, he rocketed a monster of a blast to the deepest part of Citizens Bank Park. It left his bat at 110.4 mph, elevated above Monty's angle in dead center field, and caromed off the facade just below the pitch clock, some 437 feet from home plate.
KYLE SCHWARBER REACHES 50 HOME RUNS! pic.twitter.com/8YRpNyJ59n
It blew open a game the Phillies would win 9-3 but it was also a memorable moment.
"It was unbelievable," said rookie Otto Kemp, who also went deep in the win, on his birthday, no less. "It just looks like a video game for the guy. It's really special to be a part of and to get to witness and it's something you'll never forget and I hope this isn't the only year I get to play with him."
Otto Kemp on what it’s been like to witness Kyle Schwarber’s 50 home run season as a rookie: “It’s something that I’ll never forget, and I hope this isn’t the only year that I get to play with him.”
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/Fes5xml0OS
Time will tell if that's the case, as Schwarber may be the most high profile power hitter in the sport who will be a free agent after the season.
And whether or not he re-signs with the Phillies, he has certainly left his mark here.
In the 142 years the Philadelphia Phillies have been in existence, only two men have reached 50 bombs in a season - Ryan Howard and now Schwarber.
"What a year he's had," said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. "And it couldn't happen to a better guy. I'm really happy for him."
It marks the 52nd time in Major League Baseball history (second this season along with Seattle's Cal Raleigh) that a player has reached the 50-homer plateau.
And because several of those seasons were accomplished by the same slugger on more than one occasion, Schwarber becomes just the 34th player to reach 50 big flys in a season.
Even though he's one of the game's most prolific power hitters, it's not company Schwarber ever expected to keep.
"It's not like I'm going up there to try to do that," Schwarber said of hitting dingers. "It just finds a way and it's a cool thing. It's something that I wouldn't say I expect, because it's an exclusive thing and that's really cool. But it's something that you try to strive for as a player. You want to strive for trying to reach things that might not be attainable because it's just the way you keep yourself going every single day."
And Schwarber has been feeling better about his swings in recent games, even though the milestone moon shot was eluding him.
He has been going through it for a bit now.
Over a span of 18 games, including Tuesday, and leading up to that seventh inning at bat, Schwarber was 9-for-65 (.139) and that includes the four-jack game against Atlanta.
But he insists getting No. 50 was not weighing on him at all.
"I went through a little bit of a rough patch but over the last four or five days I was having really good, quality at bats," Schwarber said. "I was hitting some balls hard and there's not really anything you can do to worry about (not hitting a homer). I felt like I was doing the things I wanted to do at the plate and it just happened to cooperate tonight."
After hitting No. 50. Schwarber received an extended ovation from the 41,609 fans in attendance. Enough of one that he re-emerged from the dugout and tipped his cap to the crowd, who once again showered him with chants of "M-V-P."
And Schwarber feels the love. He truly does.
KYLE SCHWARBER DAYCARE pic.twitter.com/kHDHZjgJVL
"It's so cool for the past four years to see how they've kind of latched on to us as a group," Schwarber said. "You want to give them your best and I appreciate everything they do. When the place is packed out 40,000-plus strong and they're screaming and yelling, you latch on to that energy and it brings another gear to you."
Schwarber has that extra gear that is so rare and special in the sport. Whether he goes another 49 plate appearances before he hits another blast, or he hits his next tater in his first time in the box on Wednesday, just getting to 50 in a single season is something that you don't see very often unless it's done by a special player.
"We were waiting a long time for that one," Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez said through an interpreter. "I'm super excited for him and happy for him because he's a tremendous player, but even more so, he's a tremendous teammate."
“You’re the 34th person to hit 50 in the history of the fucking game”
- Rob Thomson to Kyle Schwarber pic.twitter.com/3NFpmvMB8f
And everyone, from teammates, to fans, to management, to ownership would like to make sure that these final 17 games and whatever follows in the postseason, isn't Schwarber's last ride in Philadelphia.
They have countless reasons for that, but the ones you can count - all 50 of them - are good enough evidence, for now.
