Kyle Schwarber collects four hits in first MLB start, including a triple
When the Chicago Cubs called up prospect Kyle Schwarber from Double-A this week, they did so with a clear plan in mind. Though Schwarber is ultimately ticketed for a spot at Triple-A Iowa, where he’ll continue his development as a catcher, they wanted his bat available for a five-game road trip through Cleveland and Minnesota, which affords them a designated hitter.
That proved to be an excellent plan. In his first career start on Wednesday, Schwarber collected four hits and paced the Cubs offense in a dominant 17-0 victory against the Cleveland Indians.
Schwarber actually got one pinch-hit at-bat in Tuesday’s game against Cleveland, striking out in the ninth against Marc Rzepczynski. He turned things around quickly in Wednesday’s game when he laced a Shaun Marcum pitch down the right field line and raced all the way around to third for a run-scoring triple.
Yes, a triple.
Schwarber is a potential difference maker offensively, but he’ll never be confused with more dynamic all-around prospects like Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, who also recently debuted. He’s known for slugging and trotting, not stretching doubles into triples, but in an ironic twist he’ll be connected to Buxton on the list of major leaguers whose first big-league hit was a triple.
Make no mistake, he didn’t do it with near so much fluidity as Buxton did on Monday. It still counts though, and it was a key hit in a big six-run inning for the Cubs. In fact, before it was done, the Cubs managed to hit for the cycle as a team. Chris Coghlan and Dexter Fowler both singled, Chris Denorfia doubld, while Addison Russell and Anthony Rizzo provided home runs.
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Schwarber, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft, has done nothing but hit since beginning his minor-league career less than one year ago. Over 130 games, he hit .333/.432.610 with 31 home runs and 92 RBIs. That’s a ridiculous 162-game pace, and it firmly established Schwarber as the Cubs No. 1 hitting prospect following the call ups of Kris Bryant and Addison Russell.
The triple, of course, is the most difficult part of the cycle because it requires great speed or really great placement. Schwarber hit three triples during his minor league time, but only one came in his 243 at-bats at Double-A. Of the Cubs players to collect hits in that inning, he would have been the least likely to get the triple.
But that was only the beginning of a big night for Schwarber, who added three singles, another RBI and scored three runs. In doing so, he became the third Cub in the last 100 years with four hits in his first career start, joining Don Johnson (1943) and Tyler Houston (1996).
The Cubs also received a two-run homer from rookie Addison Russell and a ninth-inning grand slam from rookie Kris Bryant, who connected off Indians outfielder David Murphy.
A wild night. A big win. And, without a doubt, a bright future for the Cubbies.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
