In case you missed it, Kyle Schwarber has been assigned a new hometown.
After launching a second-inning grand slam to kick off the Boston Red Sox' 12-3 rout of the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on Monday night, the veteran first baseman arrived at his postgame press conference repping that new hometown.
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Schwarber isn't actually from Waltham, Mass., of course. But Barstool Sports' Jared Carrabis recently dubbed Schwarber "Kyle from Waltham," on his Section 10 podcast, and the nickname gained momentum to the point where Schwarber leaned into it Monday night.
"I guess my hometown is Waltham now. So, go Hawks," Schwarber joked.
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Not that Schwarber, a real-life native of Middletown, Ohio, had much choice. So strong is the "Kyle from Waltham" movement that the slugger was listed in the "Notable People" section of Waltham's Wikipedia page as of Tuesday morning (with the description, "best left-handed power hitter in baseball.")
After Carrabis sent Schwarber a Waltham Hawks T-shirt, the 28-year-old decided to rep the Boston-area suburb, even if he was a little perplexed by the whole situation.
"Carrabis got (the shirt), sent it into the locker room,” Schwarber said. “I think the first time I saw it (the nickname) was either him or MLB posted something. And everyone was asking me, ‘What’s Kyle from Waltham?’ I’m, like, ‘What?’ I’m like, ‘I’m from Middletown, Ohio.
"Waltham, I guess that’s where I’m from according to people from Boston. I guess Middletown, Ohio, is not a real place anymore."
Schwarber is representing his adopted hometown quite well. The former Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals star has been a menace this postseason, with nine hits, three home runs and six RBIs in eight games to date.
None of those hits were bigger than his grand slam on Monday night, and if Schwarber keeps this up, he may have to run for mayor his new birthplace.