Chicago Cubs: Kyle Schwarber should explode hitting before Bryant, Rizzo
Kyle Schwarber is hitting second in the Chicago Cubs lineup on Wednesday, ahead of Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. I expect Schwarber to have a lot of success in that spot and like it as a long term move.
Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon has put together an interesting lineup for Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds. Not only does Maddon have the struggling Ben Zobrist hitting leadoff, Kyle Schwarber is right behind him in the two-hole.
Schwarber’s struggles this season have been well documented. He is currently hitting .196/.312/.429 this year and hitting him at the top of the lineup may seem crazy. However, I kind of like it.
We all know how devastating Schwarber can be at the plate when he is on. He has great plate discipline, a short, compact swing and ridiculous raw power. He has undoubtedly struggled this season, but Schwarber has probably been much better than you think since returning from his Triple-A demotion.
Schwarber has been much, much better
Since returning to the big leagues on July 6th, Schwarber is hitting .256/.356/.556 with an impressive .382 wOBA and 135 wRC+, according to FanGraphs. Simply put, Schwarber has been one of the most productive bats in the Cubs’ lineup.
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Now, he is still striking out far too much (37.5% strikeout rate since his return) and has not been able to hit left-handed pitching. However, Schwarber is undoubtedly a dangerous hitter at the moment.
Schwarber has been good recently, but he is still not as great as we know he can be. I think Maddon is trying to unlock that potential with this move up the order.
Lineup protection
Batting Schwarber second puts him ahead of Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. That is something that I like a lot. Now, pitchers have no choice but to give Schwarber pitches to hit. You want to work the corners against him and risk a walk right before Bryant and Rizzo step to the plate? Be my guest.
In theory, batting Schwarber ahead of Bryant and Rizzo makes a ton of sense. However, we have seen this story before. Schwarber began the season as the Cubs’ leadoff hitter, with Bryant and Rizzo coming up right before him. As the Cubs’ leadoff hitter this season, Schwarber was hitting .185/.304/.356. So yeah, that didn’t really work out.
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However, I am a believer in his ability at the plate and he undoubtedly looks much more comfortable than he did earlier in the year. I think moving Schwarber up to the two hole is a great move and the protection that Bryant and Rizzo will provide will pay huge dividends for his game. I would not be surprised to see Schwarber find a home as the Cubs’ second hitter before it is all said and done.