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Chicago Cubs: Kyle Schwarber is offensive key in the postseason
By Bill Quinn
Chicago Cubs: Looking at the numbers and predicting the future
So, what can we expect from Kyle Schwarber in this postseason? Will we get the Paul Bunyan who miraculously came back from a total knee destruction to help us win a World series? Will we get the Super Schwarber who overshadows tall scoreboards and rivers in a single blasts? There’s reason to believe we will, now that we know the Cubs will be in the playoffs this year.
First off, if you take Schwarber’s overall postseason numbers, he’s a monster in the postseason. He is slashing .311/.408/.623 in 71 career at bats with 10 walks and six bombs. That’s a pretty good track record of success in October and November. Secondly, Schwarber’s last month has produced a slash line of .265/.405/.618, which means he has been pretty good the past month. Thirdly, he’s 5-for-19 with five walks and a bomb off a lefty (his first of the season) since coming back from the DL a week ago. In an inconsistent season, he seems to be trending upward and gearing up for October.
And, if he can be trusted to hit lefties in the playoffs in high-leverage situations and stay in the field for the latter innings of tight games because of his improved defense, that bodes extremely well for the Northsiders. A lineup that features Daniel Murphy, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward, and Willson Contreras is a pretty mean looking eight on paper, especially if they can start clicking together in this last series and into October.
Next. Cubs pen running on empty heading into October. dark
In a somewhat up-and-down season, Schwarbs has slashed .240/.359/.474, and is second on the team with 26 home runs in only 420 at-bats. He has produced 3.3 WAR according to FanGraphs.
He also leads the team with 78 walks, which is impressive on a team with so many keen eyes and walk-takers. The Cubs are going to need him to continue his fine season and take it up a notch down the stretch and come October (as he usually does), because Chicago will only go if Kyle Schwarber is able to go. Time to add to that legend, big guy.