The worst was confirmed for the Chicago Cubs and their fans late last night when Kyle Schwarber was diagnosed with a torn ACL and LCL – along with a severely sprained ankle – following a collision with Dexter Fowler during Thursday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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Schwarber and center field Dexter Fowler collided while chasing a ball in the left-center-field gap hit by Arizona second baseman Jean Segura. They summoned infielder Munenori Kawasaki from Class AAA Iowa to fill Schwarber’s roster spot.
“A young man in his sophomore season in the big leagues”, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said, “one of the most refreshing and talented in all of major league baseball”. Chicago’s ace held the Angels to two hits and one walk over six innings in Monday’s opener.
The injury to Schwarber may not have been in Chicago’s plans this year, but the team’s season is far from doomed as a result.
Also in the same vein of futility, the San Diego Padres were blanked a combined 25-0 in a three-game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers to get their season started.
“We just feed off each other”, Rizzo said.
Schwarber, 23, hit 16 home runs in 69 games as a rookie, and hit a franchise-record five home runs in nine postseason games.
Just three games into the regular season on Friday night, the Cubs were dealt a tough injury blow. I mean there’s no sugarcoating. The Cubs averaged 5.5 runs when Schwarber was in the line up, so it’s obviously a set back. Still Schwarber’s injury will probably cost the Cubs around three wins this year, which could make a difference in a very competitive National League. “Here we go again”, they understandably moaned. He said he was surprised by the attention: “I guess that’s what happens when you win a world championship – you become more popular”. The overall fourth pick in the 2014 draft and Chicagos backup catcher, Schwarber stayed on the ground for several minutes before being helped to his feet and driven off the field in a cart.Schwarber hit.
The 34-year-old is expected to contribute to the team as a utility player, playing multiple positions in infield.
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Here are some potential options the Cubs could possibly look at to replace Schwarber for this season. Maddon says utilityman Javier Baez (left thumb contusion) has been swinging a bat and could come off the disabled list during the Cubs’ upcoming six-game homestand. Among players with 250 plate appearances, he ranked 23rd in strikeout rate – although he was hardly unique among Cubs in that regard, as Kris Bryant, Soler and Addison Russell all had higher strikeout rates.
