Kyle Schwarber, Phillies' slugger, eliminated from 2022 MLB Home Run Derby in first round
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder and former Middletown High School standout Kyle Schwarber entered the 2022 MLB Home Run Derby with "unfinished business," according to ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez, a former Cincinnati Reds player and son of Big Red Machine great Tony.
But the top seed was knocked off by St. Louis Cardinals slugger and future National Baseball Hall of Famer Albert Pujols - the No. 8 seed - in the first round at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.
Mike "Money" Sinicola pitched to Schwarber, just as he did when Schwarber - then with the Chicago Cubs - finished as the runner-up to Bryce Harper in the 2018 MLB Home Run Derby.
Schwarber, who leads the National League with 29 home runs this season, failed to reach a semifinal showdown with the Nationals' Juan Soto, who won the event and accepted the trophy from Reds Hall of Famer and former Moeller High School standout Ken Griffey Jr.
Social media support ahead of Monday's event for Schwarber:
Kyle Schwarber’s spikes for tonight’s Home Run Derby courtesy of @stadiumck pic.twitter.com/kukCcEmFw7
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) July 18, 2022
Go time @kschwarb12! @Phillies #HRDerby
— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) July 18, 2022
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 18, 2022
Good job, Kyle pic.twitter.com/eno8RbHTku
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 18, 2022
"Sources" say that this incredibly accurate map would be the route a Schwar-💣 would take to LA if it was hit out of Citizens Bank Park.
No need to question us or our incredibly legitimate "sources". pic.twitter.com/QMmA0QDKoZ— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 18, 2022
The Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr., the Mets' Pete Alonso, the Guardians' Jose Ramirez, the Mariners' Julio Rodriguez and the Rangers' Corey Seager also participated.
Last week, Schwarber was named a Major League Baseball All-Star for the second consecutive season. Schwarber, an NL reserve, is one of 13 players on MLB rosters from Greater Cincinnati high schools, University of Cincinnati or Xavier University. Former Madeira High School standout Andrew Benintendi of the Kansas City Royals was named a first-time American League All-Star, and former Cincinnati Bearcats standout Ian Happ of the Cubs, Schwarber's Chicago teammate of from 2017 to 2020, joins Schwarber among the league's reserves.
In January, Schwarber became the first to have his Middies' baseball jersey - No. 12 - retired, during halftime of a Middletown boys' basketball game that Schwarber attended at Wade E. Miller Arena. In March, Schwarber was among Middletown Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, for his achievements in football and baseball in the Class of 2011.
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 2022 Home Run Derby: Kyle Schwarber fails to advance past first round
