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Kyle Schwarber fits so naturally – in theory – with the Yankees. They are asking for left bats. The now untrained ex-Cub has a swing that’s made for over 40 circuits with the Bronx’s Little Porch. He probably won’t be cheap, probably preferring a one-year contract to rebuild his value for the free agent market next year.
But then the theory collides with the reality of the Yankees roster.
Giancarlo Stanton is locked up as DH. Defending MLB champion Luke Voit is at first base. Schwarber can be put on the left. But while the right pitch at Yankee Stadium would favor his swing, the wide swath to the left would exacerbate his ordinary (or worse) defense.
Two of the Yankees’ problems are having too many types of heavy DHs that negatively impact their defense and too many players whose profile is the walk, the out, or the home run – and those three true models of results define Schwarber.
There’s a lot of Gary Sanchez in Schwarber’s attacking game. Like Sanchez, there were early hints of a formidable hitter – he was one of the favorite players of Theo Epstein, now a former president of Cubs baseball operations, as Epstein felt he was a complete hitter with power. . But over time, Schwarber – like Sanchez – has morphed into an all-or-nothing pull monster.
Schwarber hit .188 in the abridged 2020 season. Only five players who have come to bat at least 175 times had a worse average – with Sanchez down at 0.147. The Yankees have decided to stick with Sanchez and offer him a 2021 contract before Wednesday’s deadline, despite being in payroll reduction mode.
Perhaps even more obsessed with payroll, the Cubs didn’t want to invest the $ 8 million it would take to keep Schwarber. He continued the demolition of their 2016 champion. Jon Lester is a free agent. The Cubs also unsubmitted center fielder Albert Almora, as Schwarber, a first-round pick in Epstein’s administration.
But here’s something to keep in mind about Sanchez and Schwarber – even in the tough seasons, they’ve remained among the top of the majors in terms of release speed. And the Yankees love their exit speed. Schwarber is one year off 38 home runs. He was the first player the Yankees chased in the summer of 2016 when they had Aroldis Chapman in the trade market. But at the time, Schwarber was off limits and the Yankees landed Gleyber Torres.
There are scouts who believe Schwarber can use all the court better and become a better hitter overall without sacrificing a lot of power, as he has the strength to get the ball out to center-left and center. That way, there are some similarities to Michael Conforto, who was picked 10th in 2014 when Schwarber was drafted fourth. Conforto’s offensive profile improved in 2020, especially when he used his strength across the field.
There is enough of it for Schwarber to woo the Yankees, whose only regular left-handed hitter at the moment is Aaron Hicks. How could they shape it?
Scenario 1:
They sign him to play on left court, use Mike Tauchman or a re-signed Brett Gardner as a late-game defensive substitute, and deploy Clint Frazier as a swap piece to help land when starting the pitch. Opposing executives told the Post that the Yankees have at least tested what kind of return they could get on players like Frazier, Tauchman and Miguel Andujar.
Scenario 2:
The Yankees use Voit as a central trading piece to start throwing and playing Schwarber at first base – believing he can handle that position at least as well as Voit, if not better.
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