How Phillies' Kyle Schwarber can join Babe Ruth in MLB history with 40 HR in 2026

Matt Sullivan

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How Phillies' Kyle Schwarber can join Babe Ruth in MLB history with 40 HR in 2026 image

Kyle Schwarber has been an incredible addition for the Philadelphia Phillies, and this offseason, they re-signed him to a massive $150 million, five-year deal to stay in Philly.

It's a lot of money, but it's worth it for someone like Schwarber. This upcoming season, Schwarber will look to continue the impressive start to his Phillies tenure.

If he had one benchmark this season, Sarah Langs of MLB.com revealed what it should be: 40 home runs. If Schwarber can hit 40 homers, he will join Babe Ruth in some impressive MLB history for players in their first-five seasons with a team.

Kyle Schwarber is 40 HR away from Babe Ruth territory

"Schwarber is projected for yet another 40-homer season, hitting that number on the dot," Langs writes. "... 40 home runs this season would give him 227 in five years with the Phillies. The only player with that many home runs in his first five years with a team is Ruth, with 235 with the Yankees."

Being alongside Ruth in any offensive category is typically a great sign. And for Schwarber, this record would be a very fun one to reach.

For sluggers in their first four seasons, Schwarber is third all-time behind Ruth and Mark McGwire. But, if he can hit 40 with the Phillies, then his home run total will become second to only Ruth for sluggers in their first five seasons with a team.

Schwarber is projected to hit that number on the dot per Langs, and based on his prior years in Philadelphia, it wouldn't be a surprise.

In 2022, he had 46 home runs with the Phillies, by far the most in his MLB career. The next season, he had 47, beating his career-high by one homer.

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Then, he had a "down" year in 2024, hitting 38 home runs, which would've tied his previous career high before coming to Philadelphia.

But his magnum opus was this past season, when he led the NL in homers with 56. It was an incredible season, and he earned him the MVP runner-up to Shohei Ohtani.

Reaching 40 home runs in 2026 is not far-fetched at all, and if he can find a way to hit 49 this upcoming season, Schwarber would pass Ruth for the most homers hit by a player in their first five seasons with a team.

But, even if he doesn't surpass Ruth, but just gets close, he will have a good chance to beat the six-year record as long as he stays healthy. Ruth hit only 25 home runs in his sixth season, giving Schwarber a chance to pass one of the greatest sluggers in MLB history.

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Editorial Team