These Three Phillies Superstars Fueled Franchise's Stellar Month

The Philadelphia Phillies had several standout performers this month to help the team get on track.

Mar 31, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) celebrates his two-run home run with third base Alec Bohm (28) during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies had quite the month of May, reeling off nine straight victories and winning 11 out of 12 games to pull ahead of the New York Mets in the National League East standings.

However, the month ended on a sour note, losing the last three games, which has turned into a four-game losing streak heading into June.

Certainly far from ideal, but the Phillies have to be thrilled with the position they are in despite some obstacles that had to be overcome.

Closer Jose Alvarado being suspended and starting pitcher Aaron Nola moving to the injured list are testing the pitching depth. But players are stepping up to fill the voids accordingly.

Here are three players who deserve some praise for their performance in May, helping get Philadelphia on track.

MVP - Kyle Schwarber

The Phillies’ star-studded lineup produced at a more consistent clip in May than in April. It was nice to see All-Stars such as first baseman Bryce Harper and shortstop Trea Turner find their groove and start producing at the level the team has become accustomed to seeing.

Alas, their contributions still pale in comparison to Schwarber, who is a legitimate MVP candidate through the first two months of the campaign.

His torrid April continued throughout May, producing a .288/.403/.644 slash line with 10 home runs, seven doubles and 20 RBI. All three counting stats, along with his OBP and slugging percentage, led the team in the month.

Manager Rob Thomson's decision to move him from the leadoff spot into the No. 4 spot has worked out wonderfully for the team, and for his wallet.

Cy Young - Zack Wheeler

After finishing second in the NL Cy Young Award for the second time in his career in 2024, Wheeler is putting himself in a position to challenge for the honor again in 2025.

A strong April has been followed by another incredible May. He made five starts, going 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA across 32 innings of work. He continues striking batters out at an impressive rate, recording 37 to go along with a minuscule 0.81 WHIP.

The performances of Ranger Suarez and relief pitcher Orion Kerkering deserve honorable mentions, too.

Suarez has come off the injured list and was great in his five starts with a 2.97 ERA across 30.1 innings. Kerkering allowed one earned run in 12 appearances, looking more like the breakout performer from 2024 after a rocky April.

Most Improved - Alec Bohm

There were some legitimate concerns throughout April about the performance of the 2024 All-Star. An underwhelming second half last year had seeped into 2025 and his production was underwhelming.

It took him until May 6 to hit his first home run of the season, and he rode that positive momentum right through the end.

After producing a brutal .213/.242/.266 slash line in the first month of the season, Bohm bounced back with a .324/.364/.510 line in May. His batting average was best on the team in the month and the slugging percentage was second.

That is more in line with what Philadelphia was expecting, with him hitting five home runs and four doubles with 13 RBI.