PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Once upon a time, Kyle Schwarber was a postseason hero for the Cubs.
He blasted the tape-measure shot that landed on top of the right-field scoreboard at Wrigley Field to put an exclamation point on the 2015 NLDS series win over the Cardinals. Then he returned from a serious injury to play in the 2016 World Series, giving the Cubs a huge boost toward their first title since 1908.
Now, three teams and eight years after that unforgettable run, Schwarber is trying to help lead another franchise to a World Series title, and the Cubs got to watch him celebrate a big milestone on the road to that goal in-person Monday night.
Schwarber hit his 37th homer of the season, one of two for the Phillies in their 6-2 win over the Cubs in Philadelphia, clinching the Phillies’ first National League East title since 2011.
After Carlos Estévez retired Michael Busch on a flyball to end the game, the Phillies swarmed each other in excitement on the infield at Citizens Bank Park. The “Phillie Phanatic” stormed the celebration waving a 2024 flag, as fans stood and filmed it all.
“I think a lot of guys were kind of looking around and seeing them get fired up and them get excited and being on their feet,” Phillies slugger Bryce Harper said. “Just really cool to see. Hopefully, we can do that a lot more.”
With a postseason berth already clinched last week, the Phillies won their 12th division championship — and have their sights set on the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.
Schwarber back in playoffs
For Schwarber, this will be the ninth time he’s reached the playoffs in 10 big-league seasons, and he’s already etched his name in MLB’s postseason lore.
After the memorable runs in 2015 and 2016, he was also on Cubs teams that reached the playoffs in 2017, 2018 and 2020. The Cubs let him go in free agency following the 2020 season, and he signed with the Washington Nationals.
Schwarber spent just half a season with the Nationals before being traded to the Boston Red Sox at the 2021 trade deadline. After helping lead the Red Sox to the ALCS that season, Schwarber signed as a free agent with the Phillies.
Let go by the Cubs, traded by the Nationals and let go by the Red Sox, Schwarber’s career has undergone a major resurgence with the Phillies as their leadoff hitter. He belted an NL-leading 46 homers in 2022, hit 47 in 2023 and now has 37 this season.
He also has an .851 OPS and drove in his 100th run of the season with Monday’s solo homer. He became the third Phillies player since 1920 with 100 runs, 100 RBI and 100 walks in back-to-back seasons. Bobby Abreu (2004-05) and Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt (1976-77) are the others.
And Schwarber has been instrumental for the Phillies in their postseason runs the last two seasons.
He homered three times in five games in the 2022 NLCS against the San Diego Padres to lead the Phillies to the World Series. They lost to the Houston Astros in six games, but Schwarber belted another three homers in that series.
Then, in last season’s seven-game NLCS loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Schwarber hit five homers.
Schwarber has now totaled 20 career postseason homers, tied for fourth-most all-time with New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter going into this year’s playoffs.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, won five straight NL East titles from 2007-11, then went 10 years without making the playoffs. A wild-card entry each of the past two postseasons, the Phillies put together consecutive October runs that ended in heartbreak.
After losing the World Series to Houston in 2022, they blew series leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in dropping the NLCS to Arizona last season.
This marks the third time the Phillies have reached the postseason three years in a row (1976-78 and 2007-11). Philadelphia’s only World Series championships came in 1980 and 2008.
“We’ve just got to play Philly baseball and continue to play,” Harper said.
Cubs wrapping up season
The Cubs, on the other hand, will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season and for the fifth time in the last six, excepting the 60-game COVID-shortened season in 2020.
Cubs reliever Caleb Kilian (0-1) took the loss Monday in a bullpen game. In his first appearance of 2024, the right-hander worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts.
Mike Tauchman and Nico Hoerner drove in the Cubs’ two runs in the seventh, and Isaac Paredes had two hits, including a double, walked and scored a run.
The teams continue their three-game series in Philadelphia at 5:40 p.m. Tuesday. Chicago sends left-hander Justin Steele (5-5, 3.03 ERA) to the mound. The Phillies have not announced a starter yet for Tuesday’s game.
The teams conclude their series Wednesday night, then after an off-day Thursday, the Cubs wrap up their 2024 season with a three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field against the Cincinnati Reds.
Trainer’s room
Cubs: Claimed RHP Enoli Paredes off waivers from Milwaukee. Paredes, who turns 29 on Saturday, went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA and one save in 17 relief appearances with the Brewers. He dealt with a right forearm issue earlier this season that caused him to spend more than two months on the injured list.