NBA legend picks Phillies slugger to win 2025 NL MVP

But how bold is this take from Sir Charles? Schwarber is second in the National League in home runs, after all, with 42, trailing only Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani's 43. 

And that power was on full display as he won the inaugural "swing-off" and subsequent MVP honors at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta, a 4-3 National League victory.

In addition to the 42 big flies, Schwarber boasts an outstanding .951 OPS and 156 OPS+ on the year, both of which are well above league-average and among the top figures in MLB. 

Don't sleep on the 32-year-old's 3.9 bWAR, either. That represents a lot of value from a designated hitter. 

Realistically, Schwarber merits a top-five finish in NL MVP voting this season, even if he doesn't ultimately win as Barkley predicts. Who knows where the Phillies would be without his presence in the middle of their lineup — for context, the club's next highest home run tally belongs to first baseman Bryce Harper, who has 18. 

Schwarber is a pending free agent and will surely have multiple suitors in addition to the interest from his incumbent team. But for now, the Philadelphia sports community has fully embraced its star slugger. 

Only time will tell if Barkley's prediction pans out, though.