Photo: Getty Images
Will Kyle Schwarber sign a long-term deal with the Sox?
“I don’t think any player would say no to wanting to be in Boston. Looking at the history of the park; obviously the fan base, how passionate they are; and the organization as a whole, the whole time that I’ve been here has been nothing but A+. So, definitely once this season ends, and, hopefully, we’re holding up a trophy, I’ll definitely be all ears.”
In an interview with Chris Ryan, the newly acquired slugging outfielder, Kyle Schwarber, opens up about how he has been accepted so warmly by the Boston players and fans, admits that he would like to stay in Boston, describes his approach to hitting, discusses his relationship with Rafael Devers, talks about his being converted from left field to first base,
Just before the trading deadline, the Red Sox traded a right-handed pitcher, Aldo Ramirez, to the Washington Nationals for Kyle Schwarber on July 29. At the time, Schwarber was on the injured list with a pulled hamstring.
Since August 13th when he made his Red Sox debut, Kyle Schwarber has enjoyed the camaraderie of his teammates and his acceptance by the passionate Red Sox fans.
Schwarber signed a one-year deal with Washington in the offseason, a contract which has a mutual option year for 2022 at $11.5 million. He is a left-handed power hitter who is successful because he does his homework on opposing pitchers, but he also adjusts to adapt his swing to changing game situations. As the game goes on, he also shares information with other hitters on the team.
Red Sox third baseman, Rafael Devers, has a lot in common with Kyle Schwarber. The two, had previous to this season, worked out at the same facility in Tampa, Florida. The two lefty sluggers share assessments of the approaches used by opposing teams to get them out.
Throughout his major league career, Kyle Schwarber has been a leftfielder, even making his first All Star appearance this year.
In addition to adjusting to a new team and a new league, Schwarber discusses his willing acceptance of being converted to a new position, first base. He realizes that learning a new position will take time because he has gone through this process once before when he was converted from catcher to outfielder in 2015 when he played for the Chicago Cubs.