Season Preview: Kyle Schwarber and the ongoing conversation about his position in the Phillies lineup

Kyle Schwarber defies every traditional idea of what a leadoff hitter is supposed to be. He doesn’t slap singles, he doesn’t steal bases, and his on-base percentage, while solid, isn’t exactly in Rickey Henderson territory.

But when the Phillies put him at the top of the lineup, they win—and in the end, isn’t that all that matters? It’s a question that has lingered for years and still, it remains a real question heading into the 2025 season.

Will Rob Thomson finally shake up the lineup and move Schwarber down?

Kyle Schwarber’s Future in Philly: Contract Talks, Lineup Shifts, and Chasing A Ring

Kyle Schwarber: The Most Unconventional Leadoff Hitter in Baseball

Since signing with the Phillies in 2022, Schwarber has been an absolute nuclear warhead in the lineup:

🔹 131 home runs in three seasons
🔹 .832 OPS over that stretch
🔹 12 playoff home runs in 34 games
🔹 .933 OPS in the postseason

You don’t need a deep-dive analytics report to know that Schwarber mashes. He’s been the best power hitter in the Phillies’ lineup since peak Ryan Howard, and he has a knack for showing up when it matters most in October.

But leading off? That’s where the debate begins.

Is moving Trea Turner to the leadoff spot enough to fix the Phillies’ offense?

The Case for Keeping Kyle Schwarber at Leadoff

💥 “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Phillies have made back-to-back deep playoff runs with Schwarber in the leadoff spot. They were two wins from a title in 2022 and collapsed one game short of the World Series in 2023.

💥 He sets the tone. Schwarber might not be a classic table-setter, but pitchers know that they have to be locked in from the very first pitch. That matters.

💥 The rest of the lineup works around him. Over the last two seasons, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Alec Bohm have all thrived with Schwarber ahead of them. If you move Schwarber, does that throw everyone else off?

The Case for Moving Kyle Schwarber Down

❌ Too many empty at-bats. Schwarber hit just .197 in 2023 and .248 last year. Even with 100 walks per season, that’s a lot of outs at the top of the order.

❌ Other teams don’t do this. Every other contender has an on-base machine leading off. The Braves have Ronald Acuña Jr., the Dodgers have Mookie Betts, and the Yankees are probably starting every game with Juan Soto walking to first base. The Phillies? They have a guy who hit under .200 two years ago.

❌ Trea Turner is the logical leadoff hitter. Turner is the fastest guy on the team, has hit leadoff most of his career, and if he gets on base at a decent clip, that’s a lot of run-scoring opportunities for Harper and Schwarber.

Thinking about when Kyle Schwarber single handedly destroyed the Toronto Blue Jays pic.twitter.com/n4WoGX5F26

— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) February 19, 2025

Early Spring Training Clues

The Phillies haven’t fully tipped their hand yet in terms of their lineup plan. Schwarber has led off in some games, but he was also set to bat second before a rainout against the Pirates.

Thomson has been non-committal about making a change, but if Turner keeps looking sharp in spring training, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Schwarber finally moved down.

NL East Comparison: Where Does Schwarber Rank?

Player	Team	2024 Stats	2025 Proj
Kyle Schwarber	Phillies	.248/.366/.485, 38 HR	.224/.340/.472
Marcel Ozuna	Braves	.269/.338/.498, 40 HR	.269/.338/.498
Jesse Winker	Mets	.235/.339/.366, 13 HR	.235/.339/.366
Jonah Bride	Marlins	.239/.322/.369, 10 HR	.239/.322/.369
Josh Bell	Nationals	.249/.327/.412, 19 HR	.249/.327/.412

There’s no debate—Kyle Schwarber has more game-changing power than any other DH in the division. Ozuna might hit for a higher average, but nobody can take over a game with one swing like Schwarber.

The Phillies might not know where he’ll bat, but they know they need his bat in the lineup.

The Long-Term Future: Will Kyle Schwarber Get an Extension?

Kyle Schwarber is set to become a free agent after 2025, and the Phillies have a big decision to make.

✅ Pros of Extending Him:

• Still elite power at age 32
• Plays his best in big games
• Perfect fit for the Phillies’ clubhouse and city

❌ Cons of Extending Him:

• He’s a DH now, with limited defensive value
• His batting average and on-base skills could decline further
• The Phillies might need to save money for a Bryce Harper extension

If Schwarber hits 40 bombs and carries the Phillies in the postseason again, an extension seems like a no-brainer. But if his production slips, the team might start thinking about a long-term replacement.

Final Verdict: Should Schwarber Stay at Leadoff?

The answer? Maybe not every day, but don’t be surprised if he’s still leading off in October.

Kyle Schwarber’s ability to blow a game open from the first pitch is too valuable to completely abandon. But if Turner heats up early, and Schwarber slumps, expect Thomson to mix things up and move him down.

Regardless of where he bats, one thing is certain—Schwarber is still the biggest power threat in the lineup, and the Phillies need him to mash if they’re going to finally get over the hump in 2025.

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