Boston Red Sox: 3 Players who need to step up down the stretch

Kyle Schwarber #18 of the Boston Red Sox (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
Kyle Schwarber #18 of the Boston Red Sox (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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Kyle Schwarber #18 of the Boston Red Sox (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

Boston Red Sox player who needs to step up No. 2: Kyle Schwarber

Much has been about the Red Sox lack of activity at the trade deadline. The two relivers they acquired in Hansel Robles and Austin Davis have been quite poor so far, and their big name acquisition of Kyle Schwarber was on the injured list. Thankfully, Schwarber has finally come back from injury, and he could prove to be just what the lineup was missing.

Prior to getting injured, Schwarber was on an absolute tear, hitting 15 home runs over a span of 18 games. It was one of the most impressive stretches of power hitting the league has ever seen. Now, Boston will be looking for Schwarber to add some left handed power to a lineup that sorely needs it.

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Schwarber was the only bat added during the trade deadline, and while he isn’t necessarily a perfect fit on the field, he is in the lineup. Fenway Park’s short right field should suit Schwarber’s swing perfectly, and it’s reasonable to expect him to continue his home run hitting ways in Fenway for the rest of the season.

The front office clearly expects him to be the missing piece of the lineup considering he was all that was added, and now it’s time for him to step up and prove them right. The lineup went ice cold following the trade deadline, clearly feeling the lack of additions to the team. Now they’ve got that addition in Schwarber, and with all the other guys set to return, there’s no reason for this lineup to continue to struggle.

Schwarber will probably be asked to at least try to play first base, and if he can come in and solve Boston’s season long first base issues, that would go a long way to helping Boston regain their mojo. As mentioned earlier, Dalbec looks to be rounding the corner, but he’s proven time and again he can’t be counted on this season.

Schwarber has a lot of pressure to come in and solve all of Boston’s issues. But if he can come in and hit the way he was hitting earlier this season, all the other stuff will figure itself out. The Sox put a lot on Schwarber coming back and hitting, and they desperately need their prized trade acquisition to come back and step up for his new team.