Kyle Schwarber is in position to do something he’s never done before: finish a season as Major League Baseball’s home run leader.
That’s the view from ESPN’s panel, which recently put the Phillies slugger on top of its prediction for the 2026 MLB home run crown. In the vote, Schwarber drew 12 picks, while Pete Crow-Armstrong got the other 3.
For Philadelphia, it’s the kind of projection that lands with real weight because Schwarber has already been the centerpiece of the offense this season. He had 30 homers by July and even came close to winning the Home Run Derby in Philadelphia. More recently, he added another big swing with a clutch homer against the Atlanta Braves that helped secure a 2-2 series split in Philadelphia.
The Phillies had plenty to worry about during the 2025-2026 MLB offseason, especially with the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, and Pittsburgh Pirates all making a run at Schwarber. He ended up back in Philadelphia, and that decision has paid off.
Schwarber has also had a stretch where the ball wasn’t leaving the yard as often. He was quiet for a good portion of the summer and struggled to homer after July began, with a back injury possibly playing a role. But after that timely blast and a recent uptick in production, the concern doesn’t feel as loud anymore.
Crow-Armstrong is the only other hitter ESPN’s panel voted for, and he enters the race with 40 homers. Schwarber, meanwhile, sits at 43, giving him a three-homer edge in the chase for the MLB lead.
If Schwarber holds on, it would be the first time in his career he finishes with the most home runs in baseball. He already led the National League in homers in 2022 with 46 and again in 2025 with 56, but neither season ended with him on top of the full MLB leaderboard.
This time, ESPN’s experts believe that could finally change.
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