When you think about all the value Kyle Schwarber brings to the Phillies, you think of the obvious: power, especially against lefties. Plate discipline and on-base ability. Clubhouse leadership and whatnot.
Those are all true. He did all of them on Saturday. But you don’t think of his baserunning. And that was pivotal against the A’s in one of the wilder games the Phillies will play this season.
Having already homered (off a lefty) and walked in the first nine innings, Schwarber stepped to the plate in the 11th against A’s reliever Mitch Spence with an opportunity to help the team in a predictable way, and he did: He lined a two-run double into the right-field corner to put the Phillies up 8-6.