Out of left field: Schwarber strikes back

One of the most intriguing storylines of this World Series has been the return of the Cubs’ former catcher and now left fielder Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) on April 7 in the Cubs' third game of the season, when he collided with Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler. The normal recovery following this kind of injury is six to nine months, with the player returning in six months only if everything goes perfectly. However, on Oct. 25, six months and six days after his knee surgery, Schwarber was batting fifth in game one of the World Series.

Schwarber was one of the more interesting cases coming into this season. He broke into the majors last season, debuting in mid-June.Schwarber played well for the Cubs, posting a slash line of .246/.355/.487. Schwarber became the Cubs’ all-time leader in postseason home runs that year with five, including a 419-foot moonshot against the St. Louis Cardinals. Schwarber, a highly touted prospect, made himself a household name last year and was poised for an even better sophomore season before blowing out his knee.

Schwarber’s return was made possible by his impeccable rehab and impressive work ethic. Despite not being able to play, Schwarber was still heavily involved with the Cubs. He was present during scouting meetings and helped out on game day. He also sat in the draft room in June and advised the Cubs’ president Theo Epstein. Even during his rehab, Schwarber kept his mind on baseball. All of this hard work culminated in his being cleared to bat and run the bases eight days before the World Series began.

The eight days before game one were geared toward preparing Schwarber to see live pitching again. He took batting practice at Dodger Stadium while the Cubs were there and then flew to Arizona to play in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). Over the course of four days and two AFL games, Schwarber saw 1,300 pitches. That’s not a typo. The Cubs brought in minor league pitchers and pitching coaches in the AFL to throw to Schwarber. He also tracked pitches from a pitching machine to get back into the swing of things. This preparation on Schwarber’s part allowed the Cubs to start him at DH in the two games at Cleveland.

Schwarber played a key role in games one and two of the World Series, going a combined 3 for 7 with a double and two runs batted in. However, Schwarber was not cleared to play outfield so he’s been reduced to a pinch hitter in games in Chicago. This effect has been clear with the Cubs' offense struggling to get anything going. It’s looking doubtful that the series will get back to Cleveland, preventing Schwarber from adding to his growing legend. But the process of his return to the Cubs has been nothing short of incredible.