The Chicago Cubs have one of the best young lineups in baseball, and as everyone on the planet knows by now, they're headed to the World Series for the first time in 71 years.
And they just might be getting another key piece to their lineup.
Outfielder Kyle Schwarber has been out since April 7 after tearing his ACL, and he was presumed to be lost for the remainder of the 2016 season. That could all be changing, however, as Schwarber has been added to the Mesa Solar Sox roster in the Arizona Fall League, and there's a real chance he could be added to the Cubs' World Series roster before Tuesday's game against Cleveland.
In his first action in six-plus months, Schwarber went 0-for-3 with a walk, but that's only part of the story. I had a chance to speak with an AL scout who attended the game, and he had positive -- but cautious -- things to say about the left-handed hitter.
"The timing is just a little bit off," the scout said. "But that's to be expected; this guy hasn't played in a game since April. He still showed quality bat speed, he appeared to recognize pitches well, and he's always a threat with the long ball. As talented as this young man is, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he's ready to contribute with the bat in a couple of days."
How Schwarber would fit is intriguing, and potentially less problematic than you might think. The Cubs will have the DH available for the first two games of the series and (potentially) the last two, so you don't have to worry about him defensively. He wasn't exactly a defensive star before the injury, and he certainly won't play defense in the games at Wrigley Field, but he's a potential weapon off the bench late in games. At the very least, Cleveland would have to be careful about using right-handed relievers, knowing that Schwarber is just a substitution away. Also keep in mind that the Cubs are currently carrying three catchers and have a ton of roster versatility, so they don't have to worry as much about late-game decisions knowing they have a non-option on defense.
It's a risk -- and no decision will be made on Schwarber until after Sunday's simulated game -- but Schwarber could be a major addition to the Cubs' lineup in the first two games, one they weren't expecting to see on the field until 2017.