Nationals trade Middletown’s Schwarber to Red Sox

Injured slugger expected to return from injury soon
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber watches his solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park, Monday, June 28, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Credit: Alex Brandon

Credit: Alex Brandon

Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber watches his solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park, Monday, June 28, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Middletown’s Kyle Schwarber will play in the American League for the first time after a trade late Thursday night.

The Washington Nationals dealt Schwarber, 28, to the Boston Red Sox for minor league right-handed pitcher Aldo Ramirez, Boston’s eighth-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com.

Boston will be Schwarber’s third big-league team. He played for the Chicago Cubs from 2015-20 and then signed as a free agent with the Nationals in January.

Schwarber is hitting .235 with 25 home runs and 53 RBIs this season but has not played since July 2 when he suffered a right hamstring strain. According to reports, he’s expected to return to action soon.

Schwarber set a Nationals record with 16 homers in June — seven of them leading off a game. He became the third player in major league history to hit 16 homers in 18 games, and only Sammy Sosa (20 in 1998) has hit more homers in June. He was named National League Player of the Month and was named an All-Star for the first time.

Schwarber goes from a team with a 47-55 record to one with a 63-41 mark. The Red Sox have a 1½-game lead in the American League East Division.

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