Chris Perfetti, who portrays Jacob Hill, told ESPN the episode was a great start to the acclaimed sitcom’s fifth season.
“I love when we start the season off with a bang, which I feel like this really is,” Perfetti said. “We’re taking big swings, no pun intended, and I think it’s really just a testament to how well the show is working.”
According to USA Today, Schwarber, a designated hitter and left fielder for the Phillies, was always going to have a cameo in the episode but plans excitedly shifted when he hit four home runs.
“We had the game portrayed in our script to be great no matter what happened, so it was awesome to have that as the reality, and actually be astonished,” Emmy-winning creator and star Quinta Brunson said. “In fact, my character wasn’t supposed to be into baseball, which made it difficult to sit there and act like I wasn’t witnessing the best ballgame of my life.”
"Abbott Elementary" was filming in the middle of a live Phillies game 👀
— MLB (@MLB) September 3, 2025
And it just so happened to be the night Kyle Schwarber hit 4 home runs 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ghIatXX3xi
Schwarber’s historic four-homer game made him the 21st slugger to achieve the feat in MLB history. His nine RBIs also helped the Phillies to win 19-4 against the Braves.
Emmy nominee Janelle James, who portrays Ava Coleman, praised Schwarber’s appearance.
“Kyle did great in his acting part,” James told ESPN. “And so everything just came together, and it seems like every time we do feature some type of athlete that they do really well.”
In a 2023 interview with Dayton Daily News, Schwarber, 32, said, “I’m hoping to make many more career memories.” It appears ABC and Brunson contributed greatly to his wish list.
“Abbott Elementary” airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC and streams the following day on Hulu.
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