Chicago Cubs: Where does Kyle Schwarber fit in the team’s long-term plans?

Chicago Cubs: Is this the start of something wonderful?

As good as he was in the season’s final two months, he certainly battled through his share of struggles during the 2019 campaign. He hit below .200 in two separate calendar months and got on base at a below-average rate for roughly half the year. Simply put, that’s not going to get the job done, especially when you take his rather dramatic splits into account.

It’s no secret. Kyle Schwarber hits right-handed pitching far better than he does left-handed. There was a 150-point swing in his OPS that can’t be ignored. I’m not saying he can’t play against southpaws – because there was once a time where Anthony Rizzo platooned against lefties and now, he’s in there on a daily basis, no matter who’s on the mound. But he’ll certainly need to take that next big step and carry the momentum he finished the year with forward.

While the Cubs fell out of contention, Schwarber’s emergence as an elite hitter – at least for a good chunk of the 2019 season – is cause for optimism moving forward. This is a guy who’s always had all the tools – and if how he finished the year is any indication, he may be building something great with them.