Schwarber’s 1st-pitch homer sets postseason leadoff mark

PHILADELPHIA — It took Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber exactly one pitch in the National League Championship Series to snap his home run drought — and to make some history in the process.

After struggling at the plate over the first two series this postseason, Schwarber teed off on a first-pitch fastball from D-backs starter Zac Gallen to lead off Game 1 of the NLCS on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The no-doubter left Schwarber’s bat at an exit velocity of 117.1 mph, making it the fourth-hardest-hit home run by any player since Statcast began tracking in 2015. The hardest was Schwarber’s 119.7 mph homer off the Padres’ Yu Darvish in Game 1 of last year’s NLCS.

Schwarber’s latest shot also marked the fourth leadoff homer of his postseason career, moving him past Derek Jeter and Jimmy Rollins for the most in MLB postseason history. Schwarber’s first came for the Red Sox in Game 3 of the 2021 American League Division Series, while the last three have come with the Phillies.

For Schwarber, it was his first home run since Sept. 30. He went just 4-for-25 with only one extra-base hit (a double) in the NL Wild Card Series and NLDS. Similarly, he went 1-for-20 without a homer in the first two rounds of the 2022 postseason before breaking out for three in the Phillies’ NLCS victory over the Padres.

“[It’s] really encouraging,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said on TBS during Game 1. “I think he was like 2-for-17 in the Atlanta series, but at any time, he can break out.”

One pitch into the 2023 NLCS, and the Phillies are hoping for a similar breakout this time around.