Fansided

Cubs leaning toward starting Kyle Schwarber in the outfield

By Joshua Sadlock

Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs player Kyle Schwarber hits a double against the Cleveland Indians in the fourth inning in game one of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs player Kyle Schwarber hits a double against the Cleveland Indians in the fourth inning in game one of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon is leaning towards starting Kyle Schwarber in the outfield if the player is medically cleared.

Kyle Schwarber has been THE story of the first two games of the World Series. After severely injuring his left knee in the Cubs’ second game of the season, Schwarber has returned for the World Series and has picked up right where he left off last postseason. Through two games of the Fall Classic, Schwarber is 3-for-7 with a double, two RBI and two walks.

Now, with the series set to shift back to Chicago and a National League park without the DH option, Chicago manager Joe Maddon has a decision to make, and evidently he is leaning towards allowing Schwarber to test out his surgically repaired left knee in the outfield for Game 3 through Game 5.

The key takeaway from Morosi’s tweet and the Schwarber situation is that he has yet to be medically cleared to do more than bat and run the bases. After Game 1, Schwarber was asked about the possibility of playing the outfield, and he replied emphatically, “No, not right now.”

For Schwarber to play the outfield, the Cubs’ medical staff will have to evaluate his ability to move laterally, something that is not fully required on the basepaths. The side-to-side movements Schwarber will have to make in the outfield will put more stress on the ACL and LCL that he tore in the first week of the season.

“That’s something I’m waiting to hear from our medical side, because obviously he looks good,” Maddon said after Game 2. “He looks good at the plate. Running the bases, he looks pretty good so far. I talked to him there before his last at-bat — I asked him if he got on base, if he was good to go. He said, ‘Yes,’ and I said, ‘OK, fine. Just make sure you stay smart with it.’ There’s nothing about watching him that tells me that he’s inhibited right now.”

Keeping Schwarber’s bat in the lineup is a big deal for the Cubs, as he has batted .353/.450/.824 with five home runs and 10 RBIs in his first 11 career playoffs games. Still, caution must be exercised as Schwarber is a potential franchise-altering power hitter, and his outfield defense was questionable at best before the injury. If Schwarber is not medically cleared, look for him to have an impact off the bench while the Cubs are at home.

Home/Chicago Cubs