Overview
- Kyle Schwarber made his first start at first base since the 2021 ALCS, which occurred Tuesday and marked his 10th career start at the position.
- He hit his 25th home run of the season in the fourth inning, which put him alone atop the MLB home-run leaderboard and helped lift the Phillies to an 8-2 victory over the Marlins.
- Manager Don Mattingly said he chose first base to limit Schwarber’s running and to allow Bryce Harper to serve as the designated hitter while remaining in the batting order.
- Schwarber said he felt good after the game, and coverage frames the outing as a successful, low-risk experiment that adds roster and lineup flexibility during a tight National League East race.
- Schwarber signed a long-term deal with Philadelphia and has been used mainly as a designated hitter since 2022, so the team may use occasional first-base starts to keep his bat active without taxing other key defenders.