When the Chicago Cubs called up prospect Kyle Schwarber from Double-A this week, they did so with a clear plan in mind. Though Schwarber is ultimately ticketed for a spot at Triple-A Iowa, where he'll continue his development as a catcher, they wanted his bat available for a five-game road trip through Cleveland and Minnesota, which affords them a designated hitter.
That proved to be an excellent plan. In his first career start on Wednesday, Schwarber collected four hits and paced the Cubs offense in a dominant 17-0 victory against the Cleveland Indians.