It was not lost on Kyle Schwarber what was riding on the NLDS against the Dodgers.
Not only were the Phillies out to prove they’re a championship caliber team after two straight early playoff exits and a lost World Series over six games in 2022, but there were also the stakes of being the last time the three-time All-Star plays with Philadelphia.
On Thursday night, his possible Phillies finale came and went as they lost Game 4 in heartbreaking fashion, 2-1, in 11 innings.
Emotion quickly washed over Schwarber in a postgame interview as that reality set in.
“It doesn’t feel good, you know?” Schwarber said. “You just make a lot of different relationships in the clubhouse. You never know how it’s gonna work out, right? You just make so many personal relationships with guys and you spend how much time with these guys throughout the course of the year and they become family. And you just never know how it’s gonna go. But these guys all know how I feel about them. I’ve got a lot of respect for the guys in here, our organization, the coaching staff, everyone top to bottom.
“This is a premier organization, and a lot of people should feel very lucky that one, that you’re playing for a team that is trying to win every single year, and you have a fan base that cares, and you have ownership that cares, and you have coaches that care. You have everyone in the room that cares. There’s no other reason: We’re all about winning. And it’s a great thing. I think that’s why it hurts just as much as any other year.”
During free agency in 2022, Schwarber signed a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies after declining a mutual option with the Red Sox in 2021.
In Philly, Schwarber has earned two of his three All-Star nods, won a Silver Slugger award in 2022, took home All Star MVP earlier this season and he found himself in the MVP conversation throughout his time in the City of Brotherly Love.
If it’s Schwarber’s final season with the Phillies, he went out with a bang.
The 32-year-old finished the regular season with a career-high 56 home runs, which brought his total over 11 MLB seasons to 340. He also tallied a career-high with 132 RBIs while batting .240 with a .928 OPS throughout the season.
In another career-first, Schwarber hit four home runs in a single game, driving in nine runs in a 19-4 win over the Braves on Aug. 28.
Schwarber’s production took a slight dip in the playoffs, batting .188, but he homered twice in the Phillies’ 8-2 Game 3 win over the Dodgers.
The Phillies season came to a crashing end following a brutal error by pitcher Orion Kerkering, who bobbled a ball as bases were loaded and made a wild throw to home plate rather than first base for the easy third out in the 11th inning.
In all four of Schwarber’s seasons with the Phillies, they have made it to the postseason and clinched two NL East division titles in back-to-back seasons. Yet, he’s fallen short of adding a second World Series crown in Philadelphia after being on the Cubs’ 2016 championship team.