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Kyle Schwarber added to Cubs' World Series roster

For a team that’s supposed to be cursed, everything seems to be coming up in the Chicago Cubs’ favor right now. The Cubs will not only enter their first World Series in 71 years as the overwhelming favorite, but they’ll also do so with a player who was expected to miss the entire season.

That’s right, Kyle Schwarber has been added to the Cubs’ World Series roster, which was officially released Tuesday morning. Joe Maddon then said Kyle Schwarber would be the team’s DH in Game 1.

On Monday night, Jon Morosi of Fox Sports reported that Schwarber was on his way to Cleveland and the plan was to have him DH in Game 1. Who did Schwarber replace? Relief pitcher Rob Zastryzny who hadn’t appeared thus far for the Cubs this postseason.

The news would have come as a complete shock a week ago. After tearing both the LCL and ACL in his left knee during an April 7 game, Schwarber was expected to miss the rest of the season rehabbing.

All that changed Saturday. Schwarber was surprisingly sent to the Arizona Fall League in order to get some reps. The news immediately caused many to speculate on whether the Cubs would consider activating him in time for the World Series. Both the team and Schwarber added fuel to those flames, saying they weren’t willing to rule it out.

After two games in the AFL, it appears the team will do just that. The 23-year-old went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first game back from the injury. Most scouts who saw that game admitted Schwarber’s timing was a bit off, but that’s to be expected after such a lengthy absence.

Monday’s performance was a bit more encouraging. Schwarber went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in his second AFL game. He made hard contact with at least two balls, including the double, and tested his knee by sliding into second on the play.

Early Monday, manager Joe Maddon admitted reports were positive on Schwarber in his limited action and made it sound like he’d be another option for Maddon to use when constructing his lineup, which for the Cubs varies from game to game.

“He’s been doing everything,” Maddon said. “He’s swinging the bat well. He’s running really well, actually. He’s done some sliding drills, all that kind of stuff to just test the whole thing out. So we’ll wait till he plays tonight, and then make an evaluation after that. We don’t have to have the roster set until tomorrow, I guess, tomorrow at 10 o’clock. But right now he’s doing everything well and right. He’s given us another option to think about.”

It looks like Kyle Schwarber is ready to return for the Cubs. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
It looks like Kyle Schwarber is ready to return for the Cubs. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

Given that the Cubs activated him, it’s safe to assume Schwarber’s knee held up well after playing in two games. The Cubs likely performed their evaluation on him following Monday’s contest, and made the decision that he was good to go.

Whether Schwarber’s bat is ready for the trip remains to be seen, but just having him back in time for the World Series has to be a significant morale boost for Chicago. It’s clear Schwarber means a lot to the organization, and even a reduced version of him is still dangerous at the plate.

There may not be enough time for Schwarber to repeat his incredible five-home-run postseason performance from 2015, but there’s still plenty of time for him to play a pivotal role during the Cubs’ pursuit of their first World Series championship in 108 years.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik