Monday, October 24, 2016

Kyle Schwarber to join Cubs in time for World Series

For a team that’s supposed to be cursed, everything seems to be coming up in the Chicago Cubs’ favor right now. The Cubs will not only enter their first World Series in 71 years as the overwhelming favorite, but they’ll also do so with a player who was expected to miss the entire season.
That’s right, it appears Kyle Schwarber is on his way to Cleveland to join the team. He’s expected to be placed on the World Series roster and serve as the club’s designated hitter in Game 1 against the Cleveland Indians, according to Jon Morosi of FoxSports.
The news would have come as a complete shock a week ago. After tearing both the LCL and ACL in his left knee during an April 7 game, Schwarber was expected to miss the rest of the season rehabbing.
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All that changed Saturday. Schwarber was surprisingly sent to the Arizona Fall League in order to get some reps. The news immediately caused many to speculate on whether the Cubs would consider activating him in time for the World Series. Both the team and Schwarber added fuel to those flames, saying they weren’t willing to rule it out.

After two games in the AFL, it appears the team will do just that. The 23-year-old went 0-for-3 with a walk in his game back from the injury. Most scouts who saw that game admitted Schwarber’s timing was a bit off, but that’s to be expected after such a lengthy absence.
Monday’s performance was a bit more encouraging. Schwarber went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in his second AFL game. He made hard contact with at least two balls, including the double, and tested his knee by sliding into second on the play.
While the move is expected, it’s not official just yet. The Cubs have until 10 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday to submit their 25-man roster for the World Series.
With that said, it seems likely Schwarber will be there. Early Monday, manager Joe Maddon admitted reports were positive on Schwarber in his limited action.
 Q. I don’t think you’ve addressed this yet, but what were your reports on Kyle Schwarber in the Fall League? What is the likelihood of him serving as your designated hitter tomorrow?  
JOE MADDON: Reports are good. He’s going to play again tonight. He’s been doing everything. He’s swinging the bat well. He’s running really well, actually. He’s done some sliding drills, all that kind of stuff to just test the whole thing out. So we’ll wait till he plays tonight, and then make an evaluation after that. We don’t have to have the roster set until tomorrow, I guess, tomorrow at 10 o’clock. But right now he’s doing everything well and right. He’s given us another option to think about.
Given Morosi’s report, it’s safe to assume Schwarber’s knee held up well after playing in two games. The Cubs likely performed their evaluation on him following Monday’s contest, and made the decision that he was good to go.
Whether Schwarber’s bat is ready for the trip remains to be seen, but just having him back in time for the World Series has to be a significant morale boost for Chicago. It’s clear Schwarber means a lot to the organization, and even a reduced version of him is still dangerous at the plate.
There may not be enough time for Schwarber to repeat his incredible five home run postseason performance from 2015, but there’s still plenty of time for him to play a pivotal role during the Cubs’ pursuit of their first World Series championship in 108 years.
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