Kyle Schwarber’s defense saves the Red Sox
I don’t even have the words to begin describing last night’s game as the Red Sox scratched and clawed on their way to that beautiful walk-off win. While everyone will be talking about the ruling on that automatic double, or Christian Vazquez’s monster homer, I’m here to talk about something else. Let’s take a moment to put some respect on Kyle Schwarber‘s name and praise his defensive wizardry.
Not a first baseman by trade, Kyle from Waltham has been working since joining the Red Sox at figuring out the position. Boston has had an issue at first base, even with Bobby Dalbec’s resurgence, essentially since Mitch Moreland was shipped out in 2020. Well, that’s all changed after last night as we saw Schwarbs ascend to the highest ranks of defensive players.
Early in the game, he had the opportunity to make the most routine of routine plays at first. All he had to do was scoop the ball and gently toss it to Nathan Eovaldi. Like a feather floating on a warm summer breeze. Unfortunately, my guy got a little too excited and launched that thing into the 15th row, not quite how they draw ’em up at practice.
But that’s ok, Red Sox Nation, our lovable slugger avenged his early folly by making the toss in his next chance and promptly celebrating as if Boston had just clinched the World Series. In fact, if you paid close attention to Schwarber the rest of the night it looked as if he passed on multiple chances to just beat the runner to first and opted to toss the ball to the pitcher. Sometimes you just gotta get that confidence booster.
It really was a display of defensive prowess I don’t know if we’ve ever seen it in a Red Sox uniform. Of course with the likes of Mo Vaugh, Mike Napoli, and the aforementioned Moreland, we’ve seen some great defense, but nothing like this. As if Schwarbs was part machine, learning from his mistake in the very moment it happened, and correcting his programming, a wild sight.
If by this point in the article you haven’t quite figured out that I’m not at all being serious then I have some land I’d love to sell ya over by the marsh. Yes, I’m here to celebrate Schwarber learning how to play his position but I’m also here, just as he was, to poke fun at the moment in time. He spoke about his celebration after the game and gave an insight into why he reacted the way that he did.
"“You’ve got to be able to make fun of yourself. It was a good time,” Schwarber said. “I think I got a laugh out of pretty much almost everyone. It’s a game. Like you’ve got to be able to laugh at yourself.”"
He’s absolutely right. The Red Sox are in a fight with the best team in the American League, a spot nobody thought they would be in back in March, and now they have them against the ropes. The way he looks at the game and specifically that play last night are why he’s already beloved by this fanbase. He not only fit right in with the characters we already have on this roster but it’s as if he’s been here all season long.
Not to forget, his lead-off homer in the first to put a tally in the run column for the Red Sox right away. Since joining the Red Sox at the Trade Deadline he’s been an absolute revelation for this team and was a huge factor in them getting into the postseason. Now that they have a 2-1 series lead in the ALDS, I’m looking for him to continue building on his postseason legacy tonight.
Schwarber has a mutual option in his contract for the 2022 season which means both sides will need to agree to activate it. He could always decline the option and test the free-agent waters but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Chaim Bloom and the slugger have already had conversations. Maybe not so much about his current deal, but for a shiny new one ahead of next season.
Dalbec is still in flux as he had a miserable first half of 2021 while being one of the best hitters in the latter portion of the season. Triston Casas is Boston’s first baseman of the future but he’s still working on things in the Minors, I’d suspect a late 2022 call-up for some experience. So it would make perfect sense to give the 28-year-old power-hitter a new contract after this season.
"“That was awesome,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “That’s who they are. That’s what we do. Of course we wanted to make the first play, and after that he makes the play, and everyone was excited because he did it. He did what he did, and I think it was great. Sometimes we take this game too seriously, and you can actually not enjoy it. … Although we take it seriously, we also have fun with it.”"
Chaim Bloom hasn’t missed many times since coming to Boston and the Red Sox CBO absolutely his a bullseye with bringing over Schwarber to this team. I would love to see him with this club for the foreseeable future as he not only offers support defensively but can slot into that DH role whenever needed.
Last night was the perfect glimpse into the kind of player and overall person that he is and why his teammates and this city already love him like one of our own because Kyle from Waltham definitely is one of us.