Chicago Cubs Rumors: Kyle Schwarber Injury Return Possible Or Not For Cubs?
Chicago Cubs rumors about an early return for Kyle Schwarber have been addressed by a doctor. These Cubs rumors have persisted since Schwarber suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, but now an expert has weighed in on the situation.
A report from CBS Sports states that the surgery on Schwarber was successful, according to the Cubs, and that the healing process has now begun. MLB analyst Matt Snyder then spoke with Dr. Rodney Benner of the Shelbourne Knee Center about the possibility of Schwarber playing again in the 2016 MLB season.
Dr. Benner spoke about how serious the injury to Schwarber’s leg was and that it would typically take about six to nine months of recovery time. As with any injury, the recovery depends on how well the player responds to treatment and if he experiences any setbacks or complications in the process. Calling the injury “a very serious one,” Dr. Benner also spoke about how this type of injury can injure nerves and limit future ability. What Chicago Cubs fans want to know, though, is whether Kyle Schwarber could return to the field in 2016.
“While it is not completely out of the question that he could return for the end of the regular season and postseason, everything would have to go absolutely perfectly. However, I’m not sure that’s even something that I would encourage the athlete to do, and I definitely would not promise that. The main goal for this injury is to have the athlete ready for next season, and if his recovery happens to progress with that kind of timetable for the end of the season, that’s icing on the cake.”
While the quotes from Dr. Rodney Benner don’t completely rule out a return by Kyle Schwarber, it seems to confirm many of the Chicago Cubs rumors that he won’t be back until Spring Training 2017. Schwarber was going to be a big part of the offense for the Cubs this season after showing what he could do in the second half of the 2015 MLB season. The expectation was that he would split time between playing catcher and left field, but the team had to quickly scramble when he got hurt.
During his rookie season, Schwarber appeared in 69 games for the Cubs, making 273 plate appearances and playing catcher, left field, right field, and designated hitter. He posted a 0.246 batting average, 0.355 on-base percentage, 16 home runs, 43 RBIs, and 52 runs scored in that time. What really enamored Schwarber with Cubs fans was a monster home run he hit during the 2015 MLB Playoffs. Now fans might have to wait until the 2017 campaign to see him swing the bat again.
This isn’t the news that fantasy baseball owners wanted to hear after the surgery, even though the bad news was already pretty clear. Kyle Schwarber is very unlikely to play again this year and there is no reason for the Chicago Cubs to rush him along. Schwarber is just 23-years-old and has a lot of baseball still left ahead of him. Risking further injury to one of the best power hitters in the organization by pushing him to return this year doesn’t appear to be in the plans.
Through 16 regular season games, the Cubs currently have the best record in the National League at 12-4. This is a great start for the team, as it has also created a three-and-a-half game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for first place in the NL Central. While the team also holds the best record in baseball, it shouldn’t be too surprising if Chicago Cubs rumors about a possible catcher acquisition take place near the trade deadline. For now, Cubs fans can just enjoy the team continuing to play like a true contender.
[Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]
