Chicago Cubs: Despite what you think, Kyle Schwarber performed well in 2018

Chicago Cubs: A back injury and slump late cost Schwarber with fans

With a solid July or August, Kyle Schwarber would have posted a 4.0 WAR season in 2018, but alas, it seems it’s never enough for Cubs fans. The calls for trading Schwarber (or possibly Albert Almora or Ian Happ) after a disappointing end to the season have become fairly loud, amplified by Theo Epstein’s season-ending discussion on production over potential.

However, my contention would be that Schwarber did produce, at a very solid and respectable level, and will very easily continue his progressive ascent towards what fans truly want him to be: a middle of the order slugger to compliment Rizzo, Bryant and, now, Baez. If 2018 was any indication, he will certainly continue to walk and hit bombs very frequently.

With any luck, 2019 will see Schwarber break out in much the same way Baez did this year.  Put him at full potential in the middle of an order with the likes of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Ben Zobrist Javier Baez… look out…and that’s not even accounting for possibly adding the guy who beat him in the Home Run Derby: Bryce Harper.