Schwarber practices patience at the plate, and teammates would be wise to follow suit

Kyle Schwarber could well be a shorttimer with the Red Sox. At most, he could play 43 games this season and will likely become a free agent afterward.

His contract includes a mutual option for next season, but those are rarely exercised.

But Schwarber’s impact on the Sox could be long-lasting.

Schwarber reached base 11 times in his first 18 plate appearances. He saw 79 pitches in those plate appearances, and that has left an impression.

“It’s a different at-bat,” manager Alex Cora said before Saturday night’s game against the Texas Rangers. “Pitches on the edge of the zone, he takes. He battles … Just the calmness. There’s no panic.”

That’s nothing new for Schwarber, who has averaged 4.21 pitches per plate appearance in his career. That’s 13th in the majors since he broke in with the Chicago Cubs in 2015.

His teammates should take notes. The Sox have averaged only 3.89 pitches per plate appearance, 18th in the majors.

Friday night provided a good example of Schwarber’s approach at the plate.

He got ahead of Dane Dunning 3-and-1 in the first inning, taking a borderline changeup for ball two. He fouled off two fastballs and then a changeup that was over the plate.

Dunning then left a cutter on the inner half, and Schwarber lined it into right field.

“A missile,” Cora said.

Schwarber has 146 home runs in his career, 25 this season with Washington before he was traded to the Sox. But he’s happy to hit the ball the other way for a single if that’s how the at-bat develops.

At a time when so many hitters take the approach of swinging hard at anything close, Schwarber carefully picks his spots.

“I love the fact that he doesn’t expand [the strike zone],” Cora said. “Whenever he struggles, he’s going to

get on base. He’ll take his walks.

“That’s something he’s been talking about for a while with the group. Hopefully that’s something they can see, learn and do.”

Cora doesn’t want successful hitters to change what works, but he would like to see more of a willingness to take a walk or go the other way.

“That’s something [Schwarber] brings to the equation,” Cora said.

Schwarber’s approach serves him well. He strained his right hamstring on July 2 while playing for the Nationals and was out 41 days. He planned to play in a Triple-a game before being activated, but it was rained out.

Schwarber convinced the Sox he was ready and played his first game on Aug. 13. He walked and scored in his first two plate appearances. He was 2 for 4 with two doubles in his second game.

“I had been taking enough swings on the side. I was ready,” Schwarber said. “I’m comfortable with my swing and my approach at this point.”

In 2016, Schwarber tore ligaments in his left knee in the second game of the season, but he was able to play in the World Series and was 7 of 17 with three walks and two RBIS.

That made Cora and the Sox more comfortable with bringing Schwarber back as soon as possible this season. They also felt he would bring some balance to the lineup with how willing

he was to go deep in counts.

Xander Bogaerts (4.13) and Bobby Dalbec (4.03) are the only Sox hitters averaging at least four pitches per plate appearance.

“That was something we talked about,” Cora said. “Not every at-bat can be just swing, swing, swing. He slows it down. He makes the opposition work. That’s why he fits perfectly.”

Cora has been using Schwarber in his middle of the lineup — he hit cleanup Saturday — but eventually sees him hitting second as a table setter with power.

Since spring training, Sox coaches have pushed the idea of situational hitting. Cora understands hitters are

being trained to hit the ball in the air with power. But he also wants them to understand the advantages of being selective or going the other way.

Schwarber provides an example everybody can see. As Bogaerts said Friday, he’s a tough hitter to get out.

“You see his batting practice: It’s not home run derby. He hits line drives … not only his at-bats and what he’s doing on the field, but also talking about it. It benefits everybody,” Cora said.

“He’s just a different voice. He’s a veteran guy that has won. He understands what it takes to win the World Series, to have good lineups. The fact he’s preaching that is always helpful

for a team.”