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DENVER -- Kyle Schwarber joined the 300-homer club on Monday, then immediately began his quest for 400 by hitting No. 301 the following night.
The question of just how many home runs Schwarber can hit by the time he calls it quits is a fascinating one. Sure, he turned 32 in March, but he’s only getting better right now. Schwarber averaged 44 home runs over the past three seasons and he’s on pace to hit a career-best 56.
Even if he is able to put together his first 50-homer season, Schwarber knows he would not only need to stay healthy, but continue homering at a high rate for years to come to reach 500.
"There's a lot of things that have got to go right," Schwarber said.
Just take a look at the two most recent players to reach 500 home runs: Miguel Cabrera and David Ortiz.
Schwarber, who is 49 games into his age-32 season, has 301 career home runs. Comparatively, Cabrera already had 401 home runs at that point -- but Ortiz had just 276.
Hampered by injuries late in his career, Cabrera had just one 20-homer season the rest of the way en route to finishing with 511. Ortiz, meanwhile, averaged 32 homers per season from age 33-40, including hitting 38 in his final season at 40 years old. Schwarber is obviously looking to follow the Ortiz trajectory, but that just how productive he needs to remain to join the 500 club.
So, instead of focusing on Schwarber’s future home runs, let’s instead enjoy the 301 he’s already hit. That includes 46 leadoff home runs, four walk-off home runs and seven grand slams. He’s hit 148 with the Phillies, 121 with the Cubs, 25 with the Nationals and seven with the Red Sox.
But what about his most majestic homers? Or which pitcher (and opponent) he’s victimized the most? And what ballpark -- other than Citizens Bank Park, of course -- he's teed off at most frequently?
Let’s take a look:
Longest HR: 483 feet
Schwarber joined the 300-home run club with a very Schwarber-esque 466-foot blast that hit the façade of the upper deck at Coors Field. Amazingly, that was just enough to crack the list of his 10 longest home runs -- and well short of his 483-foot blast on Sept. 18, 2023, against the Braves.
Here's his 10 longest:
1. 483 feet: Sept. 18, 2023 at Braves (No. 244)
2. 473 feet: July 28, 2019 at Brewers (No. 95)
3. 470 feet: May 23, 2017 vs. Giants (No. 23)
4. 468 feet: April 20, 2022 at Rockies (No. 157)
T-5. 467 feet: Sept. 10, 2022 vs. Nationals (No. 190)
T-5. 467 feet: June 4, 2019 vs. Rockies (No. 83)
T-5. 467 feet: June 14, 2017 at Mets (No. 28)
8. 466 feet: Monday vs. Rockies (No. 300)
9. 465 feet: Sept. 6, 2023 at Padres (No. 240)
10. 463 feet: April 16, 2021 vs. D-backs (No. 122)
Note: Does not include 488-foot home run in Game 1 of 2022 NLCS vs. Padres because career stats are based on regular season only.
Most vs. single opponent: 24 (Nationals/Reds)
The Reds had to be happy to see Schwarber leave the division in 2021. During his time with the Cubs, Schwarber hit 21 homers in 68 games against the Reds from 2015-20. He's added three more since.
The Cubs' loss was initially the Nationals' gain, as Schwarber signed with Washington following the 2020 season. He hit 25 homers in just 72 games with the Nats before being traded to the Red Sox at the 2021 Trade Deadline.
Schwarber signed with the Phillies the following year and wasted no time teeing off on his former team. He hit 10 home runs vs. the Nats in 2022 alone, becoming the first Phillies player to hit double-digit homers against one team in a single season since Mike Schmidt hit 10 vs. the Cubs for the 1980 World Series champion Phillies.
Next most: Brewers (21), Pirates (18), Mets (18)
Most vs. opposing pitcher: 6 (Trevor Williams)
When Taijuan Walker signed with the Phillies in December 2022, he was asked what he was most excited about when it came to joining a team that had just won the NL pennant.
"The biggest one is, I don't have to face Schwarber anymore," Walker said at the time.
Walker was obviously joking, but at that point, he was the answer to this question. Since joining forces with Schwarber, however, Walker has watched from the dugout as Williams surpassed him.
Next most: Walker (5), Zach Davies (5)
Most by ballpark (as visitor): 12 (Great American Ball Park)
No surprise that Schwarber’s three highest ballpark totals come at places he’s called home: Citizens Bank Park (78), Wrigley Field (62) and Nationals Park (28). But as far as where he’s done the most damage as a visitor, it’s Cincinnati’s GABP, where he’s gone deep a dozen times in 47 games.
Next most: Milwaukee's American Family Field (10), Miami's loanDepot park (9)