Chicago Cubs: Kyle Schwarber is offensive key in the postseason

Many Chicago Cubs fan continue to question Kyle Schwarber‘s long-term future with the team. That being said, he a has a large role to play this October.

Kyle Schwarber burst onto the scene with the Chicago Cubs in 2015 a mere year after being drafted much higher than most baseball experts thought he would go. He proceeded to slash .246/.355/.487 with a 130 OPS+ in roughly half a season in the big leagues. Pretty good start.

That fall, in the winner-take-all Wild Card game, he hit a ball into the Allegheny against Gerrit Cole. He followed that up with a ball over the Wrigley right field video board against the Cardinals in a Division Series that saw him hit .500. Unfortunately, we all know how 2015 ended, with an NLCS loss to the Mets that saw Schwarber go only 2-for-13 (although both hits were bombs) and showcase his biggest defensive gaffes of the season on a national stage.

Schwarber’s 2016 story? Well, let’s just say it’s quite familiar at this point. In just the second series of the year, he suffered a season-ending injury against the Arizona Diamondbacks. After viciously attacking his rehab, he returned for the World Series, serving as the team’s designated hitter in the Fall Classic.

He went 7-for-17 (.412) against some of the best arms the American League had to offer, including Corey Kluber, Andrew Miller, Cody Allen and Trevor Bauer).