Kyle Schwarber, a key player for the Philadelphia Phillies, is known for his dedication to improving his performance through hours spent in the batting cage. After a recent game against the Twins in which he went hitless with two strikeouts during a 5-0 loss, Schwarber was seen returning to the batting cage while still in uniform.
“That was just me being mad,” Schwarber said.
This season, Schwarber posted a .240 batting average with 56 home runs and 132 RBIs, leading the National League in home runs and Major League Baseball in RBIs. He is expected to finish among the top five candidates for NL MVP. These results come as he approaches free agency.
Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long described the batting cage as “his sacred space.” It serves as an area not only for physical practice but also for discussion and analysis. Schwarber explained that sometimes he visits just to talk or review game footage: “I didn’t even swing anything,” he said about one postgame visit. “I just went down there, talked crap, watched the game over again. I do that every once in a while. There’s times for that. There’s times for everything.”
Schwarber’s achievements this year include setting a new record for most home runs by a left-handed batter against left-handed pitchers in a single season—23—after hitting his 55th and 56th homers during a game against Miami Marlins pitcher Ryan Weathers.
“There’s been a lot of hard work put into that,” Schwarber said. “It kind of takes you back to 2020, getting non-tendered, then you sign a one-year deal and get with a really good hitting coach [in Long]. He came up with a plan and attacked it and it’s grown over the years. Hopefully, it keeps going.”
Schwarber faced uncertainty after being non-tendered by the Cubs following the 2020 season before signing with the Nationals on a one-year contract. Long recalled initial doubts about Schwarber playing regularly against left-handed pitchers: “When he came to the Nationals, he was excited,” Long said. “But he also thought that he was going to be playing against lefties…He was inept against left-handed pitchers.”
At that point in his career, Schwarber had struggled significantly against left-handers compared to right-handers.
“We’ve got to do something about it,” Long told him.
“Well, let’s start now,” Schwarber replied.
Long traveled from Phoenix to Tampa three days later so they could develop an improvement plan together—a process that took time but eventually produced results.
“It didn’t happen overnight,” Long said.
Now recognized for his consistent approach at the plate regardless of pitcher handedness, Schwarber continues detailed preparation before games—including video study of opposing pitchers like Joe Ryan of the Twins—and regular conversations about hitting techniques with teammates and coaches.
“He’s like A-Rod,” Long noted, referencing Alex Rodriguez’s meticulous habits from their time together on the Yankees roster. “A-Rod was so meticulous…If there was any kind of in-game adjustment he needed to make, he wanted that information. Kyle’s like that.”
Schwarber enjoys both solo work and collaborative discussions inside the batting cages: “It’s baseball talk,” he said. “You can watch other guys’ swings…There’s just a lot of different conversations in there.”
Teammates such as Otto Kemp and Weston Wilson have observed how purpose-driven Schwarber is during practice sessions—always seeking improvement without letting analysis become overwhelming or counterproductive.
“Sometimes, you get guys that dig a lot…Kyle’s not that way,” Kemp said.
Wilson added: “The cage can put somebody in a bad place if they’re in there too much…For Kyle, I don’t think it’s that way because I think everything’s intentional.”
Schwarber emphasized having clear intentions behind every action: “Everything I do…there’s a meaning behind it….I have a game plan when I’m on deck and then when I go into the box I’m trying to execute that.”
Despite challenges along his career path—from being non-tendered by Chicago Cubs after 2020 to becoming one of MLB’s top sluggers—Schwarber remains committed to continual self-improvement through focused work both on and off field.
