CLEVELAND — Kyle Schwarber has been on a remarkable streak, reaching base in 45 consecutive games, a run that dates back to last season. This achievement includes the first 39 games of the current season with the Philadelphia Phillies, marking the longest streak in Major League Baseball since Aaron Judge’s similar feat with the New York Yankees in early 2023.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson expressed admiration for Schwarber’s performance, noting, “It’s impressive because I see him now as a complete hitter.” He commented on Schwarber’s versatile approach at the plate, highlighting his ability to utilize the entire field, take walks, and unleash his significant power. “You know, it’s not hits. It’s not DiMaggio. But it’s very, very important,” Thomson added, signaling the intrinsic value of consistency in reaching base.
Historic baseball feats inevitably bring to mind Joe DiMaggio’s legendary 56-game hitting streak with the Yankees in 1941, but Schwarber’s current run stands out as its own milestone. During Saturday night’s 7-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, Schwarber secured his streak with an RBI single in the fourth inning, a hit that tied Odubel Herrera for the fourth-longest on-base streak in Phillies history. The club’s record, held by Mike Schmidt, is 56 consecutive games, a standard set between August 1981 and May 1982.
Schwarber is also on the cusp of matching Herrera’s 2018 record for the longest streak of getting on base at the start of a season. Commenting on his performance, Schwarber said, “To be honest with you, I didn’t even realize anything about it. And then, it started catching on.” He emphasized his focused approach at the plate, saying his priority is moving runners and driving in runs, while being patient and selective with his pitches. “I’ll take a walk and if I’m getting hits, great,” he stated.
According to statistics from Baseball Reference, Schwarber’s achievement is the 26th instance since 2000 of a player maintaining an on-base streak of at least 45 games, with the Los Angeles Angels’ Orlando Cabrera achieving 63 consecutive games in 2006.
Schwarber’s previous on-base streak stretched to 31 games during the 2022 season. Rob Thomson, who previously coached with the Yankees, drew parallels between Schwarber and Aaron Judge, noting, “Judge and Schwarber see the ball really early out of the pitcher’s hand. That’s a bonus for guys. And they understand the strike zone.” These observations underscore the qualities that make both players exceptional in their ability to consistently reach base.