Yo!!! The official word won’t come out tonight, but the Sun-Times has the scoop:
Cubs' Javy Baez, Kyle Schwarber fill half NL field for Monday's Home Run Derby https://t.co/m9SgK5PrS7 via @suntimes
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) July 11, 2018
We’ll have more when it’s official, but obviously that’ll be a whole lot of fun for Cubs fans. And baseball fans, in general, because Baez is one of the most enjoyable players in the last decade, and Schwarber hits bombs like they insulted his mom. It’s like when Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo were in the derby together a few years ago. Except this time it’s Schwarbaez.
Now Schwarber just needs to find his way into the All-Star Game as an injury replacement. If you’re gonna be there anyway, might as well participate the whole way.
The other two NL sluggers are reportedly Max Muncy and … Bryce Harper. Boing.
As for any concerns about the impact on these guys’ swings, meh. Baez already swings like he’s in the Home Run Derby every day, and Schwarber is a very polished hitter who will surely approach the even very responsibly so as not to undo (in a single night) the work he’s put in to level out his swing this season.