Kyle Schwarber apparently called his shot off Gerrit Cole
Kyle Schwarber apparently called his third-inning home run off of Gerrit Cole during the Cubs’ wild-card game win over the Pirates.
This information comes courtesy of Cubs general manager Theo Epstein, who amid the raucous clubhouse celebration Wednesday told reporters that Schwarber had essentially predicted his moonshot into the river, off of the Pittsburgh ace, weeks ago.
“Schwarber called that shot,” Epstein said, according to CBS Chicago. “About two weeks ago, I told him he was thisclose to putting a ball in the river off Cole, and he goes, ‘You’re right. I’m putting a ball in the river off Cole.’ And there it goes, down by the river.
“He said, ‘Oh, get a kayak. I’m going into the river,'” Epstein said later. “And he did.”
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Schwarber's not quite “Babe ‘effin Ruth,” as one Cubs official called him according to a popular story that circulated back when the catcher-slash-outfielder was still in the minors, but this is pretty close. His home run spotted Chicago and ace Jake Arrieta a 3–0 lead, which was all they needed. The shot apparently went an estimated 449 feet, and although it hasn’t been officially confirmed the ball hit water, we're good to roll with that.
The Cubs take on the Cardinals Friday to open the NLDS. Hoo boy.
- Jeremy Woo
