Philly Leader

PHILADELPHIA -- Kyle Schwarber, a key player for the Philadelphia Phillies, set a Major League Baseball single-season record with his 14th leadoff home run on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park. This achievement surpasses the previous record held by Alfonso Soriano since 2003.

Schwarber's home run came off a 1-0 fastball from Rays right-hander Taj Bradley, sending the ball to right-center field at a speed of 113.9 mph and covering a projected distance of 437 feet, according to Statcast data. This marks his third-hardest-hit leadoff homer of the season and his second longest.

However, Schwarber exited the game early due to "left elbow discomfort," as stated by the Phillies. He was replaced by Buddy Kennedy in the bottom of the fourth inning. The team has announced that further evaluation will be conducted but provided no additional details during the game.

The incident occurred after Schwarber walked in the third inning and dove headfirst into first base on a pickoff attempt, using his left arm to reach for the bag. It is speculated that he may have injured his elbow during this play.

Schwarber's performance this season includes a .251 batting average with 35 home runs, 95 RBIs, and an .868 OPS. His presence at the top of the lineup is significant; he ranks ninth all-time with 45 career leadoff homers, just one behind Jimmy Rollins who holds eighth place with 46.

Reflecting on tying Soriano's record last week in Toronto, Schwarber said, “I’ve always said that those things will be cooler when I’m done. Right now, I’m just trying to win baseball games. Winning a baseball game is cooler than that.”

Since joining the Phillies in 2022, Schwarber has hit 139 home runs including postseason games. The team's record stands at 82-36 (.695) when he homers.

Bryce Harper commented on Schwarber’s recent performance saying, “It kind of snowballs for him. We all know that when Kyle gets hot, it’s fun to watch. We’re excited to see that. I love seeing homers. Super impressive being able to do that.”