Chicago Cubs: Slimmed down Kyle Schwarber looking good

The hot stove is merely room temperature at the moment, so there isn’t much in the way of interesting free agent news attached to the Chicago Cubs. But how about Kyle Schwarber’s new, slimmed down look?

It appears as though Chicago Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber has slimmed down a bit since the end of the season. Don’t believe me? Head over to his Twitter page. Various photos of the 24-year-old at charity events and elsewhere show what looks like a less portly Schwarber.

This is a good thing! And if the camera really does add ten pounds, then he’s in even better physical shape than we can see!

What a slimmer Schwarber could mean

If Schwarber really has shed some pounds, then his defensive ceiling in left field may have just been heightened. I won’t dance around it–Schwarber isn’t the fastest outfielder in the league. He’s probably not the slowest, either. And his lack of wheels is certainly exaggerated at times.

But the truth is, for an outfielder, Schwarber isn’t particularly quick. He’s a big man. And being quick for a big man is not the same as being “quick” by MLB standards. A more slender Kyle Schwarber, however, presents an opportunity for him to improve a facet of his game that many (including myself) have deemed incorrigible.

I’ve recently made the case that, despite a horrid 2017 season and his defensive shortcomings, Schwarber is still capable of being a major asset for the Chicago Cubs. His value increases even more if he’s able to expand the range he can cover out in left field.

Next: Where does Eddie Butler fit in with the Cubs?

Am I reading too much into this? Perhaps. But from recent photos it really does look like Schwarber has cut some pounds. And he still appears to have Popeye-esque muscular arms, so the home runs are going to keep coming.

A leaner Kyle Schwarber could result in better defense and improved base-running from the fan-favorite. I suspect there will be no complaints if that’s the case.