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Kyle Schwarber turned Citizens Bank Park into his personal launching pad Thursday night, blasting four home runs in a performance that left 45,000 fans roaring and baseball history rewritten. The Philadelphia slugger joined an elite club of just 21 major leaguers to accomplish the four-homer feat, powering the Phillies to a dominant 19-4 victory over Atlanta while setting a franchise record with nine RBIs.
The night created an unexpected rift between manager Rob Thomson and his $300 million star shortstop, Trea Turner. While Turner expressed skepticism about Schwarber’s chances for a historic fifth homer against position player pitching, Thomson stood firmly behind his power hitter. The manager’s unwavering faith in Schwarber’s abilities directly contradicted Turner’s reservations, highlighting the different perspectives within the clubhouse about their teammate’s extraordinary capabilities. This philosophical divide between analytical caution and pure belief would define the evening’s dramatic tension.
Turner’s analysis revealed both admiration and doubt as he dissected Schwarber’s approach. “We were talking about how perfect his swing is for it,” Turner explained. “It’s simple, it’s short, it’s quick. It feels like any time they make a mistake, he’s ready to put the barrel on it.” The $300 million infielder praised Schwarber’s aerial approach, noting he “doesn’t really hit it on the ground” and possesses “a perfect homer swing.” However, Turner’s confidence wavered when considering the fifth homer opportunity, knowing Schwarber had struggled before when trying to hit position player pitching. Thomson’s response was immediate and decisive: “I thought he was going to do it. I really did. That was no doubt in my mind.”
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Philadelphia Phillies Vs. New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies Trea Turner gestures towards the bench after reaching on a triple during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field in Corona, N.Y., on August 25, 2025. New York City N.Y. United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xGordonxDonovanx originalFilename:donovan-philadel250825_nprsT.jpg
While others debated the missed fifth homer, Phillies’ Schwarber remained focused on what truly mattered to him. The slugger showed no disappointment about falling short of baseball immortality, instead celebrating the collective effort that made the night special. Was Schwarber thinking about the opportunity to become the first player ever to hit a fifth home run in a game? Well, obviously. According to The Athletic, he was upset he even asked, “I shouldn’t have even asked, but I was in the cage and I was like, ‘How many guys have hit five?'” Schwarber revealed. “And nobody said anything, so I was like, ‘Oh, OK, well that answers the question.'” His 49th homer moved him into the National League lead and within striking distance of Seattle’s Cal Raleigh for the major league crown, cementing a career-defining performance that showcased why Thomson’s faith never wavered.
But this extraordinary individual achievement takes on even greater significance when viewed within the broader context of baseball’s rarest accomplishments. The numbers surrounding Thursday night’s explosion reveal just how special this moment truly was.
Phillies Star Kyle Schwarber Joins Elite Four Homer Club
Kyle Schwarber’s explosive performance connects him to an incredibly exclusive brotherhood in baseball history. The left fielder demolished Atlanta pitching with surgical precision, joining just 20 other players who have achieved this remarkable milestone. His historic night marked the first four-homer game by a Phillies player since Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt accomplished the feat in 1976, creating an emotional bridge between Philadelphia baseball legends separated by nearly five decades.
This season has witnessed something unprecedented in baseball annals. Schwarber joins Eugenio Suarez and Nick Kurtz as the only trio to reach this milestone in 2025. This season is the first in MLB history to feature three separate four-home run games, creating an extraordinary statistical marvel that baseball historians will remember forever. The convergence of these three performances has transformed 2025 into one of the most power-packed seasons in recent memory.
Credits: MLB.COM
The Braves find themselves in an unfortunate position as historical victims. Atlanta became the first franchise ever to surrender multiple four-homer games in a single season, with Suarez previously torching their pitching on April 26 while playing for Arizona. Unlike that April contest where the Braves managed to win 8-7, Thursday’s 19-4 beatdown offered no consolation prize for their pitching staff.
Schwarber nearly rewrote the record books entirely when he stepped into the batter’s box during the eighth inning. His pop-up to left field ended the dream of becoming baseball’s first five-homer player, but the thunderous standing ovation from 45,000 Philadelphia faithful proved that four was more than enough to create an unforgettable evening that might just propel him past Shohei Ohtani in MVP conversations.
The post Phillies Manager Defies $300M Star For Kyle Schwarber After 2 Iconic Shows At Citizens Bank Park appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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