A solid performance from designated hitter Kyle Schwarber helped the Philadelphia Phillies cap off a three-game sweep against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
In the sixth inning of Philadelphia's 8-2 victory, Schwarber hit a 423-foot home run. He also had three walks and two RBI.
Kyle Schwarber got every stitch of this ball pic.twitter.com/5Z1zhORKnE
— MLB (@MLB) April 21, 2024
Schwarber wanted to get off to a better start this season after the former Silver Slugger had to overcome an early slump last year. As passed along by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Alex Coffey, his batting average was .197 through his first 19 games in 2023.
"I try to put an emphasis on that every year, but this year, I definitely did," Schwarber said. "I'm just sick and tired of … you can be in May, and you're looking up at a number that you hate seeing."
Schwarber added that he is focusing on hitting more pitches in the strike zone. Clearly, it's making a difference. While his batting average sits at just .217 through 22 games, he has also hit six home runs, tied for the 15th-most in baseball.
The Phillies (14-8) are second in the National League East behind the Atlanta Braves (14-5). To keep up, they'll need Schwarber to stay in the groove.
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