Kyle Schwarber hits two homers to lift Phillies over Dodgers 8-2 and avoid sweep in NLDS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kyle Schwarber homered twice, his first towering shot clearing the right-field pavilion in a three-run fourth inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided a sweep with an 8-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Wednesday night.

It was the first Schwarbomb of the postseason for the NL's leading home run hitter and the first allowed by the Dodgers in these playoffs. Schwarber snapped an 0-for-8 skid in the NLDS, slugging a 96-mph fastball from Yoshinobu Yamamoto 455 feet.

“It’s ridiculous how far that ball went,” Phillies shortstop Trea Turner said. “Sometimes it’s hard to create your own momentum, and you’ve got to build off things like that. No better way than the ball leaving the stadium.”

Schwarber became just the second player to homer over the pavilion, joining Pittsburgh's Willie Stargell, who did it in 1969 and 1973. Fans standing near the back railing pointed as the ball went out.

“I didn't even see where it landed,” Schwarber said. “I was looking in the dugout, trying to get the guys going.”

Schwarber's 23 career postseason homers rank third all-time and are the most among left-handers.

Game 4 of the best-of-five series is Thursday at Dodger Stadium, with the Dodgers clinging to a 2-1 lead.

“It’s pretty close to being flushed already,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I feel good with where we're at.”

After Philadelphia's Aaron Nola pitched the first two innings, Ranger Suárez came in and allowed one run and five hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked one.

“Ranger did a fantastic job,” Schwarber said. “Kept everyone right there for us to eventually crack through and have a beginning.”

The Phillies tacked on five more runs in the eighth — including a solo shot by J.T. Realmuto and a two-run drive by Schwarber — off three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw in his first postseason relief appearance since 2019.

Six of the Phillies' 12 hits came off Kershaw in his 18th and final season with the Dodgers before retiring at season's end.

“I was battling command,” Kershaw said. “It's hard when you're trying to throw strikes in the postseason to get people out.”

Yamamoto retired nine of his first 10 batters before the Phillies jumped on him in the fourth. Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm followed with singles and Harper scored on center fielder Andy Pages' throwing error. It skipped away from third baseman Max Muncy and into the Dodgers dugout, moving Bohm to third. He scored on Brandon Marsh's sacrifice fly to left for a 3-1 lead.

The Phillies chased Yamamoto with back-to-back singles by Bryson Stott and Turner in the fifth.

Reliever Anthony Banda came in and worked out of a bases-loaded jam. He struck out Schwarber after Stott and Turner's double steal. Harper flied out and Bohm was intentionally walked before Banda got Marsh on a swinging strikeout to end the threat.

The Dodgers led 1-0 on Tommy Edman's homer on the first pitch by Suárez leading off the third.

The Dodgers had the potential tying runs on first and second in the sixth but Max Muncy grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Kershaw allowed three runners in the seventh, but none scored. Another left-hander, 89-year-old Dodgers great Sandy Koufax, was on his feet applauding as Kershaw jogged to the mound.

Dodgers sluggers Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman were a combined 0 for 8 with three strikeouts. Mookie Betts tripled and singled in four at-bats.

LHP Cristopher Sánchez, who started Game 1 of the series, goes for the Phillies on Thursday against Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow, who pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in Game 1.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

The Los Angeles Dodgers watch from the dugout during the ninth inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tanner Banks shakes hands with center fielder Brandon Marsh after a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Sandy Koufax shakes hand with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts before Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber, left, is tagged out by Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman on a pickoff throw from catcher Will Smith during the seventh inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández makes a catch on a fly ball from Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper during the seventh inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws to a Philadelphia Phillies batter during the seventh inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Tommy Edman, left, celebrates his solo home run with Teoscar Hernández (37) during the third inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber follows his solo home run off Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto during the fourth inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a $126 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.

A two-time All-Star at shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette will move to third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette has never played a professional game at the hot corner.

Bichette can opt out of the deal after the first or second season to become a free agent again. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for two years, the person said.

If he opts out, the Mets could not make him a qualifying offer, so they would not receive a draft pick as compensation if he signed elsewhere.

The deal does not contain any deferred money and Bichette gets a full no-trade provision.

Bichette batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games for the Blue Jays last year. He homered off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bichette sprained his left knee late last season in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells, keeping the infielder out of the lineup until the World Series. He returned for Game 1 against the Dodgers and played second base for the first time in six years.

Bichette led the American League in hits in 2021 and again in 2022. He finished second in the major leagues in batting average last season to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Bichette turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Blue Jays in November, so they would receive an extra draft pick in July after the fourth round if he completes his deal with New York.

He was one of the last remaining big-name hitters on the free agent market after Kyle Tucker agreed Thursday to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers.

Bichette, who turns 28 in March, has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays since they selected him in the second round of the 2016 amateur draft. He is a .294 career hitter with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS in 748 major league games.

He is a son of former big league slugger Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star outfielder.

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

FILE - Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette celebrates his three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 7 of baseball's World Series, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

FILE - New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns responds to questions during a news conference about MLB trade deadline deals, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith, File)