Phillies' Star Slugger Wisely Seen as NL MVP Candidate

Which slugger on the Philadelphia Phillies is being seen as an NL MVP candidate now?

Jul 25, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; A detailed view of a Hall of Fame patch on a Philadelphia Phillies hat resting in the dugout during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are on fire of late, winning their last five games and building some serious momentum. 

Despite the horrible start to the year, things have really turned around for the franchise. Following the firing of Rob Thomson, it seemingly created the spark that the team needed to get back on track. 

Since then, the team has a record of (16-4) and has won every series they have played in. During the early struggles, it was the lineup that was taking a lot of the blame. This looked like a unit that was completely lost, with some key players underperforming. 

While upgrades to the unit before the trade deadline will make sense for the Phillies, they have had some of their players doing really well. A recent hot streak from Alec Bohm, who now has a nine-game hitting streak, has been key. As one of the right-handed bats in the lineup, the former All-Star getting going has been key to the unit doing better. 

Furthermore, while some players who were struggling have heated up a bit, some others have been red-hot. Over the last couple of weeks, there have been few hitters in all of baseball better than one Phillies slugger, and the strong stretch has moved him into the NL MVP conversation once again. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about some potential early MVP candidates in the National League. Wisely, Kyle Schwarber was on the list coming in third. 

Schwarber Should Be in NL MVP Conversation

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

While it might be very early on in the season, a recent stretch by Schwarber has propelled him into the NL MVP conversation. With Philadelphia now over the .500 mark and playing much better of late, that undoubtedly helps his case. 

Last year, Schwarber finished in second place behind Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. This campaign, it is once again going to be tough to dethrone Ohtani, but Schwarber is on pace for a historic home run season. 

While Ohtani is not having the same caliber of year he had at the plate in 2025, he has been arguably the best pitcher in the National League with a ridiculous 0.82 ERA in 44 innings pitched. 

The combination of what he has been able to do on the mound, along with his production at the plate, is going to make him a tough player to beat for the award. However, if Schwarber is able to continue his torrid home run pace, there is going to be a case to be made for him.