Don Mattingly explains what sets Phillies' Kyle Schwarber apart

PITTSBURGH — Don Mattingly knows what it is like for a major-league hitter to go on a hot streak.

Playing for the New York Yankees in 1987, Mattingly hit home runs in eight consecutive games. He tied the major-league record set by Dale Long in 1956 and matched by Ken Griffey Jr. in 1993.

Mattingly is now the Philadelphia Phillies’ interim manager. So, he has been watching from the dugout as designated hitter Kyle Schwarber goes on a similar tear.

Kyle Schwarber tops MLB with 20 homers

Schwarber homered twice on Friday night to help rally the Phillies to an 11-9 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. That gave Schwarber nine home runs in his last eight games and raised his season total to an MLB-high 20.

Schwarber has the most runs ever by a Phillies player through the first 45 games of the season. He is also just one of two Phillies to homer nine times in eight games, joining Mike Schmidt, who did so in 1976.

Schwarber also had nine homers in eight games with the Washington Nationals in 2021. He and Albert Belle are the only hitters to accomplish that feat twice.

“He’s amazing at what he does,” Mattingly said of Schwarber. “He’s a guy who, from the other side, you feel if you make your pitches, then you can get him out. But if you make mistakes, he makes you pay. So, it always feels dangerous when he is up there, no matter how he is swinging or how it looks.”

Kyle Schwarber wants wins more than homers

Schwarber made the Pirates pay twice on Friday as the Phillies clawed back from a 6-0 deficit to win. He hit a two-run shot off Braxton Ashcraft in the sixth inning to draw the Phillies within 6-3 and another two-run blast off Mason Montgomery that cut the deficit again to three runs at 8-5.

Schwarber downplays his power surge. The 33-year-old, who led the major leagues with 56 homers last year, is more excited that the Phillies have won 13 of their last 17 games to get within one game of .500 at 22-23 following a dreadful 9-19 start that cost manager Rob Thomson his job.

“I’m just happy that we are finding a way to win games,” Schwarber said. “That’s the biggest thing. Yeah, sure, you want to have success at the plate. Do you want to do a lot of positive things? Yes. You are way happier with the win than the loss. I’m happy the home runs are helping us win games.”

His teammates are enjoying the show.

“It’s one of the cooler things I’ve seen in baseball because of the way he puts the bat on the baseball,” first baseman Bryce Harper said. “It’s been pretty fun to watch.”