Suns Legend Makes Bold Kyle Schwarber Claim Amid Incredible Season

Suns Legend Makes Bold Kyle Schwarber Claim Amid Incredible Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

While the 2025 NBA offseason has quieted down after an exciting start, the MLB season is heating up as teams continue to fight for playoff positioning with a little over a month and a half left in the regular season.

Among the teams fighting for a playoff spot is the Philadelphia Phillies who currently sit at the top of the National League East standings with a 69-50 record which has them five games ahead of the New York Mets for the top spot in the division.

Philadelphia has been on fire recently, winning seven of their last 10 games, though they did drop the second game of their series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Charles Barkley picks Kyle Schwarber to steal NL MVP

Despite the loss, the Phillies have themselves positioned to win the NL East once again and former Phoenix Suns star Charles Barkley believes that their roster features the NL MVP this season.

Barkley appeared on MLB Network’s MLB Tonight on Tuesday night where he made a bold take about Phillies star Kyle Schwarber.

“I think my boy Kyle Schwarber is going to steal the National League MVP,” Barkley said.

Charles Barkley doesn't just have bold takes for the NBA (or even the NHL) but MLB as well, endorsing a Kyle Schwarber NL MVP challenge.

"I think my boy Kyle Schwarber is going to steal the National League MVP." pic.twitter.com/nKgLK2MLQO

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 13, 2025

This is a bold take by Barkley but one that is not out of the question as Schwarber has put together an incredible season thus far.

Of course, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is the clear favorite to win the NL MVP award for the second consecutive season but Schwarber has quietly climbed the rankings amid his stellar campaign.

This season, the 32-year-old left fielder is batting .249 with 42 home runs, a league leading 97 RBIs and posts a .951 OPS.

Schwarber has been the leader for the Phillies all season on the offensive end despite Philadelphia’s firepower in Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto and he has put himself in the race for the NL MVP award.

Of course, Schwarber will have to finish off the season strong to beat out Ohtani for the MVP award and if he is able to do so, not only would it be the first MVP award of his career right before he enters free agency, but he would also prove Barkley’s take right.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 13, 2025, where it first appeared.