Wawa kicked off its annual Hoagiefest on Monday — they will sell $5 6-inch and $6 10-inch hoagies until Aug. 11. But in the past, Hoagiefest has brought the city more than just great, cheap sandwiches. The special event also historically helps jump-start Kyle Schwarber’s bat.
Schwarber barely needs it this time around — he’s already hitting .393 with 3 home runs and a 1.271 OPS in his last 7 games. But the Phillies’ leadoff hitter first showed his prowess during Hoagiefest in 2022, his first season with the team.
In June 2022, Schwarber hit .272/.385/.680, with 12 home runs and 27 RBIs, his best month of the season, and he saw his OPS improve from .722 in May to 1.065 in June. That hot streak coincided with the start of Hoagiefest — but one month doesn’t a trend make.
Headed into the 2022 playoffs, Schwarber was on a 1-for-21 streak. So ahead of the Phillies’ National League Championship Series against the Padres, Wawa brought back Hoagiefest — this time renamed Schwarberfest — to hopefully unlock the lefty’s power.
It worked. Schwarber hit the longest home run of his career off Yu Darvish in the first game after the promotion began, and hit .400 with 3 home runs, 4 RBIs with a 1.571 OPS in the series. In the World Series, Schwarber hit .250 with 3 home runs, and 4 RBIs for a 1.123 OPS, a massive improvement from his slump in the wild-card and division series.
Even Bryce Harper noticed — beyond the stunned look on his face in the above video.
“I guess I’ll thank Wawa for the Schwarber thing,” Harper said after the Phillies’ Game 4 victory against San Diego as his teammate remained hot.
Of course, Wawa had to keep the party going in 2023. Wawa partnered with Schwarber on a Schwarbomb drink in April, and when Hoagiefest came back around in June, Schwarber once again saw his OPS jump from .668 in May to .853.
Come playoff time, of course Schwarberfest was coming back.
Heading in to Hoagiefest in 2024, Schwarber is already riding a bit of a hot streak, and the Phillies are one of the best teams in baseball. How much better can Schwarber get? We’re about to find out.
