Kyle Schwarber's Superman hitting ability in June helps Philadelphia Phillies soar past San Diego Padres
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Kyle Schwarber can't explain his superpower hitting a baseball in June. No one on the Philadelphia Phillies can.
The Phillies slugger wishes he had an answer for why he hits a baseball so well in a specific calendar month. At this rate, Schwarber just accepts his hitting for what it is.
"Baseball is such a crazy game where you can fluctuate, but you just kind of have to be able to stay the same," Schwarber said on his Superman hitting ability in June. "You come in as the same guy every day and stay with the work.
"The results have been there the last couple Junes. This year, it's just a credit to starting better and staying with the work. I had a good base from spring training and coming into the season and being able to stick with it."
Schwarber continued his hot streak in June in Monday's 9-2 win over the San Diego Padres, finishing 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBIs. The first home run went 441 feet into the Padres bullpen while the second went 412 feet into the Phillies bullpen.
The #Phillies win.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) June 18, 2024
They are 24 games over .500 (48-24). Season-high 18 hits in Trea Turner’s return.
Rafael Marchan has a .417 BA, 1.084 OPS.
Up 8.5 games in the NL East. pic.twitter.com/QDoimxKEiZ
Schwarber accounted for 853 feet in his two home runs, his 15th and 16th of the season. He's on pace for 36 home runs and 106 RBI, while hitting a career-best .253 with the Phillies.
"I've always come about the work and put myself in a really good position to when I do step out there in the field or in the box, you're just going out there and competing," Schwarber said. "You just don't want to have any thoughts in your head. You just want to go out there and compete, have your approach and go from there."
Schwarber just keeps finding ways to hit in June. The two home runs he blasted Monday night were his 59th and 60th home runs in the month for his career, seven more than any other month (53 in August).
Kyle Schwarber has 60 career HR in June in 172 G. That is the fastest to 60 HR in June in MLB history (previous: Mike Piazza, 60 HR in 191 G).
— PhilliesNotes (@PhilliesNotes) June 18, 2024
The only player in MLB history to reach 60 HR in fewer games than Schwarber in June, in any month, was Juan Gonzalez in August (167 G).
In total, Schwarber is batting .255 with 60 home runs and 132 RBIs in the month of June (172 games). Schwarber has a .350 on-base percentage in the month and has a home run in one of every 10.27 at-bats in June. For correlation, Babe Ruth is second on the list -- one home run per every 10.63 at-bats.
Schwarber's 60 home runs in 172 games in June is the fastest to that mark in the month in MLB history -- Mike Piazza hit his 60th home run in June in 191 games. The only player to hit 60 home runs faster in a calendar month is Juan Gonzalez, who hit 60 home runs in his first 167 games in August.
This June, Schwarber is hitting .291 with five home runs, 12 RBIs, 10 walks, and nine runs scored. His on-base percentage is .400 and OPS is at 1.000 for the month.
No one on the Phillies has an answer for why Schwarber hits as well as he does in June. When the temperature heats up, so does Schwarber.
"I think some guys are like that," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "Some guys start hot, some guys finish hot. It's just what he does I guess."