Kyle Schwarber works a 13 pitch at bat vs Kyle Barraclough and ends it with a homer, a breakdown
What Happened
Kyle Schwarber of the Chicago Cubs steps to the plate to face Kyle Barraclough of the Miami Marlins in a late-inning, one-run game. Barraclough opens with a fastball strike, then tries to get Schwarber to chase a slider away, but Schwarber lays off. On the 1-1 pitch, Barraclough comes back with a changeup in the strike zone and Schwarber fouls it off, showing he is sitting on the fastball. Barraclough continues to mix in offspeed pitches, trying to keep Schwarber off-balance, but the Cubs slugger spoils them all, fouling pitch after pitch. The at-bat reaches a full count and Barraclough knows he has to challenge Schwarber with a fastball. When the pitch comes, Schwarber is ready, driving it over the wall for a game-tying solo home run. Schwarber points emphatically as he rounds the bases, pumping his fist. The Wrigley Field crowd erupts in cheers, a cute fan shown on the broadcast smiling wide. "Yeah, yep, that was easy," Schwarber says, knowing he outlasted the Marlins pitcher in a classic battle of wills. Unfortunately for Barraclough, his struggles are not over. The next batter also takes him deep, giving the Cubs a late lead. Barraclough shakes his head in frustration, realizing his night is likely over. As the manager comes to the mound, Barraclough says, "Yeah, coach, you should probably get me the hell out of here. Nothing's going my way." This epic 13-pitch duel between Schwarber and Barraclough encapsulates the high-stakes drama of late-inning, one-run games. Schwarber's patience and pitch recognition allow him to wear down the Marlins' reliever, setting the stage for the Cubs' comeback victory. It's a moment that will have Cubs fans cheering and Marlins fans lamenting a tough loss.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentall right this was requested a bunch
shorebird at a 13 pitch at bat vs. bear
claw is how you pronounce his name
anyway fastball slider changeup pitcher
opens him up with a fastball strike
good pitch then he moves it outside
trying to get him to chase he doesn't
chase one in one comes back in the zone
and short was like [ __ ] that's the one I
wanted I'm sitting fast for right now
damn it goes changeup nice pitch
schwarber spoils it changeup again
spoils it again he's feeding that
outside low zone doesn't chase it's like
okay didn't chase that one he's swinging
at the change-up and just got to get him
to keep going
goes fastball low fouls it off and he's
like what are you throwing out come on
give me another fastball changeup fouls
it back
changeup again fouls it the pitcher
knows he's sitting fastball and he
doesn't want to throw him the fastball
schwöre burr knows the change-up scum
and he's like I'm just gonna spoil it
off until you throw me that fastball
changeup again fouls it off look at the
bottom right of the zone he's just
loading that was [ __ ] just gonna make me
throw him a fastball I really don't want
to throw him a fastball just want him to
swing and miss and one of these change
ups ok come on one more changeup here we
go
you got it here we go here's the pitch
changeup fouls it off chores like dude
this is a joke if you throw me the
change-up I'll just spoil it you're
gonna have to throw me a fastball
eventually just throw me the fastball
changeup outside doesn't need to spoil
that when it's a ball now we got a full
count he's got to come in the zone
throws him the fastball cuz the counts
full and schwerer goes yard home run big
time bummer Cubs always show a cute girl
in the crowd after homeruns shorebird
says yeah yep that was easy
pitcher just knows it damn it damn it
next batter he opens him up slider away
then he goes back to the change-up and
it just gets blasted he's like ah [ __ ]
can't do anything right two homers three
runs high fives all around manager says
I'm gonna have to take you out of yours
like yeah coach you should probably get
me the hell out of here saying really
going my way