Washington Nationals: Kyle Schwarber’s eye popping stat during HR binge

In the first game of the June 12th doubleheader, Kyle Schwarber smacked a home run. At the time, the homer was innocent enough. It was a leadoff home run, which staked the Washington Nationals to an early lead, one they would hold in going on to a 2-0 win over the San Francisco Giants.

While the jack was Schwarber’s 10th home run of the season, we had no idea he would go on the power hitting binge he has over the last three weeks.

We’ve heard all the hitting feats and records tied/broken during that time. 16 home runs in 18 games. More than eight whole teams over the course of 18 days. Tied for the most ever in an 18 game span. 25 home runs on the season in 69 games. Tied for fewest games played to reach 25 in Expos/Nationals history. Most home runs in 75 plate appearances. 8 homers in a 5 day span, which has only been done twice before. Most home runs in a calendar month in franchise history. We could go on and on.

Best of all, the Nationals are 9-1 in games during that stretch where Shwarber has homered.

Nationals outfielder Kyle Schwarber is hitting home runs, and almost exclusively home runs.

Maybe the most eye popping stat of all is Schwarber is hitting home runs and not much else. Since June 12, he has raised his batting average 35 points. He is hitting a career best .253 at the moment. For a guy who has always hit for power not average, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised to know during his home run deluge he has just eight hits which are not home runs.

In the past 18 games, Schwarber has 16 long balls and eight singles. No doubles. No triples. Feast or famine, essentially.

You’d think during that time he’d have a few more bleeders, or bloops. Even with how well he is seeing the ball and hitting the ball, you would think there would be a few gappers or line drives off the wall. Nope. Schwarber is locked it to the point he is just smashing home runs. 66% of the hits he has gotten since June 12th have been round trippers.

Schwarber has done all this from the leadoff spot in the lineup as well. Rather than getting on base and setting the table for others to drive him in, Schwarber is simply taking out the middle man. He’s scored 20 runs since being permanently entrenched in the leadoff spot. 16 of which he drove himself in.

No one will argue with the results. No need to mix in any other hits, if he can continue to plate himself with one swing of the bat. The ride has been enjoyable to be a part of and we’ll sit back and see how long it can continue.