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CBS News
13-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber isn't focused on his on-base streak, despite inching closer to Mike Schmidt's record
The on-base streak wasn't in Kyle Schwarber's mind. That is, until it became noticeable every time Schwarber stepped up to the plate. For a player who likes to keep his focus on the current at bat like Schwarber, it's tough to ignore. "I'm not really trying to do much about it," Schwarber said following the Phillies' 3-2 loss to the Cardinals on Monday. "It is what it is. If I get on base again, I get on base. If I don't, I don't. I'm just trying to go up there, take a quality at bat and go from there." Schwarber did extend his on-base streak to 47 games with a single in the sixth, the highlight of a Phillies loss in which they finished 1-of-7 with runners in scoring position. He is one game away from tying Bobby Abreu for the third-longest on-base streak by a Phillies player in the modern era (48 games). The on-base streak has been a culmination of the improvements Schwarber has made at the plate. His single came off Cardinals left-handed starter Matthew Liberatore, a pitcher Schwarber didn't have a hit against in 10 previous at bats. In the past, Schwarber would have immensely struggled against Liberatore. Over the past two seasons, Schwarber is hitting .304 against left-handed pitchers with 19 home runs and 51 RBI in 263 at bats. Schwarber has a .415 OBP and a .966 OPS against left-handed pitchers since the start of last season. Schwarber credits his work with Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long in 2021, when the pair were with the Washington Nationals, for his success. Long has been with the Phillies since Schwarber arrived in 2022, and the pair keeps working on ways to improve. "You try to get to that point where you make it just a pitcher," Schwarber said. "You don't view it left-left, right-right, whatever it is. You just view yourself as hitting. You kinda wanna take the stigma away from that." Schwarber is having an even better year against left-handed pitchers in 2025 than he did in 2024, hitting .321 with seven home runs, 13 RBI, and a 1.220 OPS against them this season. In 2024, Schwarber hit .300 with 12 home runs, 38 RBI and an .898 OPS. As even-keeled a player as they come, that has been Schwarber's biggest advantage since adjusting his game over the last two seasons. Schwarber has been a good hitter, but has taken that part of his game to another level. Taking things day-by-day has served him well. Schwarber is a ways away from Ted Williams' record 84-game on base streak — or Joe DiMaggio's 73-game streak. Mike Schmidt, who has the Phillies' modern-day record of 56 consecutive games of getting on base, is in sight. No matter what transpires from this streak, Schwarber's approach remains the same. "I've always been trying to have the game plans to process, right?" Schwarber said. "You're gonna take what you have that day. Some days it's gonna work out and some days it doesn't."
CBS News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Kyle Schwarber is aging like wine in his age-32 season with the Phillies: "You get older, you get smarter"
Kyle Schwarber's on-base streak has caught the attention of everyone in the Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse. Easy to see why. Schwarber's on-base streak is now at 46 consecutive games, the fourth-longest by any Phillies player in the modern era (since 1900). Only Mike Schmidt (56 games, 1981-1982), Chuck Klein (49 games, 1930), and Bobby Abreu (48 games, 2000-2001) have longer on-base streaks than Schwarber — which makes his streak even more impressive. "One of the cool things is seeing who he's tying or passing each day," Phillies shortstop Trea Turner said. "The names that go by are obviously really good and put you in that category of some greatness... Look, it's hard to do, trust me. I wish we all could do it." Schwarber is hitting .262 with 16 home runs, 37 RBI and 33 runs scored during the streak. He has a .978 OPS with 33 strikeouts to 33 walks. The 46-game streak is the longest by a left-handed hitter in MLB since Shin-Soo Choo reached base safely in 52 straight games in 2018. "He's a complete hitter to me," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "He uses the field, takes what they give him. Look at (Sunday), if they want to pitch around him (and) if they want to nibble, he'll take his walks. And if you pitch to him and make bad pitches, he's gonna do damage." Schwarber is off to a torrid start to the 2025 season as a result of the on-base streak. Heading into Monday's matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals, Schwarber is hitting .269 with 14 home runs and 32 RBI with a .998 OPS in his first 40 games. He's tied with Aaron Judge for the major league lead in home runs, as the 14 home runs are the most by a Phillies player through 40 games since Raul Ibanez had 16 in his first season with the Phillies in 2009. Schwarber is on pace for 57 home runs, the highest of his career. This comes from a player who has already had two 40-plus home run seasons in a Phillies uniform and continues to improve with age. "You get older, you get smarter," Turner said. "I think sometimes when you're younger, you kind of have more energy, but you don't know how to channel it. I think his routine has gotten better over time, his preparation has gotten better. Not playing the field helps a little bit too, but you gotta evolve if you wanna play this game (for) a long time. He's done that every single time." Schwarber didn't have a 40-plus home run season until age 29, his first season with the Phillies. He recorded his first 100-plus RBI season at age 30 and is coming off back-to-back 100-RBI seasons. Schwarber is on pace for a career-high 130 RBI in his age-32 season, along with a career-high in average (.269) and OPS (.998). Schwarber's career-high in RBI is 104 (2022 and 2023), and his OPS is .928 (2021). He also has back-to-back seasons with 100-plus walks. The on-base streak is a culmination of Schwarber's improvements at the plate. At 32, the Phillies slugger is aging like fine wine. "It tells me he cares about getting better and helping this team win games," Thomson said. "That's what it's all about."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
After a slow start, Rays' Danny Jansen has a happier streak to focus on
TAMPA — It's not exactly the sexiest streak going in the majors, but it is encouraging for Danny Jansen. The catcher who signed a free-agent deal with the Rays in the offseason has reached base in 17 consecutive games, which is a career high. It's the longest on-base streak for a Tampa Bay hitter since Randy Arozarena had 19 in a row last summer. Advertisement But there is a caveat. Jansen is only hitting .191 (9-for-47) during the streak, with much of the production due to 12 walks and a .356 on-base percentage. 'I really haven't dove in too much mentally thinking about the streak,' Jansen said. 'But anytime I can help the team win by getting on base is obviously a huge thing. Any time I can have a quality at-bat, that's what I'm trying to do when I step in the box. If it happens to be some walks, then so be it. 'I'm still trying to get my A swing off as much as I can and trust myself with my approach throughout the effort.' While the numbers do not sound overly impressive, it is an improvement from the first month of the season, when Jansen began with a .125 batting average through his first 48 at-bats. Advertisement It's often said that walks preface hits when a batter is in a slump because it's an indication that he's doing a better job of seeing and anticipating the ball coming out of a pitcher's hand. 'Throughout the course of my career I've been streaky so, yeah, this happens,' Jansen said, 'But I do think there's more comfort in the box right now. I started slow, but a lot of times for me it's not about chasing hits but chasing quality at-bats. I think that's starting to happen for me and stuff is starting to happen. Controlling what I can, which is what I've learned throughout my career.' Jansen, who spent the first seven years of his career with the Blue Jays, will now return to Toronto for the first time in a Rays uniform. He played at Rogers Centre once last year with Boston. 'Spent a lot of time there,' Jansen said. 'So, it's cool to get back and see people.' Home sweet home It's not terribly unusual to see slight differences between a hitter's performance at home and on the road. There are plenty of variables that can account for small, but meaningful, gaps. In Junior Caminero's case this season, the difference is hard to explain. Advertisement Caminero is hitting .298 with seven home runs in 104 at-bats at Steinbrenner Field. On the road, the 21-year-old is hitting .122 with no home runs in 41 at-bats. The difference in OPS is .862 to .330. 'He has certainly held his own for a very young, talented player,' manager Kevin Cash said. 'I do think that he's learning a little bit about himself and where pitchers are trying to execute pitches to get him out. I'm going to bet that Junior is going to have answers as we move forward, because he is so talented.' Dia de las Madres If you noticed Jonathan Aranda wearing Mother's Day cleats during Saturday's game, it was no accident. Mother's Day in Mexico is always celebrated on May 10, so Aranda put on his specially made pink cleats — with 'I love you Mom' on the backside — a day ahead of the U.S. holiday so his mother could see on Saturday's TV broadcast. Advertisement 'She means the world to me. She's always been that steady rock that's been in my life,' Aranda said through team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. 'There's no words, or anything I can do, to show my appreciate for her as a mother.' Relief for relievers The Rays went into Sunday having played more one-run games than any team in the American League. So, it's probably no surprise that high-leverage relievers Pete Fairbanks, Edwin Uceta and Manny Rodriguez are all on pace to eclipse 70 appearances this season, which would shatter the career high for all three pitchers. 'You go over many, many seasons here, that's kind of the way we are built,' Cash said. 'Do everything we can to have as close to a version of a lockdown bullpen that we feel good about many guys coming out with leads.' Miscellany For the second day in a row, the start of the game was delayed by rain. The game started 40 minutes late but was not interrupted once the first pitch was thrown … The double play Caminero hit into in the eighth inning was his 11th of the season, which leads the majors. He grounded into only two double plays in 2024 …. Eric Orze had thrown 5 ⅓ shutout innings across four appearances before giving up a run in the eighth … Once again, the Rays announced a sellout crowd of 10,046 despite entire rows of empty seats in multiple sections. Advertisement • • • Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida. Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports. Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.
