Insider
CLEVELAND — Kyle Schwarber’s season ended on April 7 when he tore the ACL in his left knee during the Cubs’ third game of the season, but the slugger appears to be on track to make a dramatic return when the World Series opens Tuesday night.
According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, Schwarber was on a private jet Monday night from Arizona to Cleveland, where he’ll join the Cubs and serve as Chicago’s designated hitter in Game 1.
Schwarber, who hit 16 home runs in 69 games as a rookie with the Cubs in 2015, played two games in the Arizona Fall League to test his knee out before heading to Cleveland.
“Reports are good,” manager Joe Maddon said Monday. “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. … He’s given us another option to think about.”
The Cubs planned to see how Schwarber came out of his games in Arizona before making an official decision. Rosters for the World Series aren’t due until 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday.
The word of Schwarber’s potential return was met with excitement by his Cubs teammates
“I’ve been telling him all year long, ‘What’s taking so long?’” catcher David Ross said. “It’s pretty amazing the way he’s come back so fast. There’s no doubt his heart has been in the game the whole time.” player set to make his return in the World Series. Indians AllStar starter Danny Salazar, out since Sept. 9 with a right forearm strain, pitched a three-inning simulated game on Sunday and will be placed on Cleveland’s roster for the series in place of Cody Anderson.
“Nothing’s official, so if we have another drone incident or anything with model airplanes or anything, we reserve the right till we have to turn it in,” said manager Terry Francona, referring to the finger injury Trevor Bauer suffered prior to the ALCS.
Francona plans to start Corey Kluber, Bauer and Josh Tomlin in the first three games, while he could split Game 4 between Salazar and rookie Ryan Merritt.
“It gives you a guy that made GETTY the All-Star team that we could pitch really whenever we want,” Francona said.