Schwarber provides hope for Hoskins' return in '23  

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Kyle Schwarber still remembers scribbling the question at the bottom of the paper:

“World Series?”

He had traveled to Texas on Oct. 17, 2016 -- between Games 2 and 3 of the NLCS between the Cubs and Dodgers -- to get a six-month progress report from the doctor who performed reconstructive surgery on the ACL and LCL in his left knee. Schwarber tore the knee on April 7 at Chase Field in a game against the D-backs. He was told after surgery on April 19 that he would be ready to play by Spring Training 2017. During his second visit, he was told he could probably play Winter Ball.

A crazy question crossed his mind before the Oct. 17 checkup, so he jokingly jotted “World Series?” at the bottom of the list of questions he and the Cubs had for the doctor.

“Just screwing around with the guy,” Schwarber said Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. “He didn’t even read the questions, but he said, ‘I know what you guys are doing. If you want to give it a shot, I don’t see any problem.'”

Those words started a remarkable comeback that Phillies teammate Rhys Hoskins hopes to reenact this fall. Hoskins, who spoke about those hopes earlier this week, had reconstructive surgery on his left ACL on March 30. His six-month follow-up will happen around that time.

The Phillies play their final game of the regular season on Oct. 1. The NL Wild Card Series could start on Oct. 3. The NLDS could start Oct. 7.

“It can happen,” Schwarber said. “God, I hope it happens. I was lucky because I didn’t have a setback. Everything went right in my rehab. It was the perfect storm where everything came together. I hope it works for Rhys. It would be awesome. To have his presence back would be huge. But we’ve got to do our part.”

Schwarber said that nobody had any inclination he would play in the World Series before that Oct. 17 meeting. Not his teammates. Not Cubs athletic trainers. Not Cubs executives. Not even himself. But once Schwarber got the OK, he was in Chicago’s lineup eight days later for Game 1 of the World Series on Oct. 25.

It is a remarkable timeline:

• Oct. 17: After Schwarber’s doctor’s visit, he flew to Los Angeles. He took batting practice at Dodger Stadium.
• Oct. 18: Schwarber worked out on the field before Game 3 of the NLCS on Oct. 18.
• Oct. 20: He flew to Phoenix to begin a crash course in hitting and timing at the Cubs’ training facility in Mesa, Ariz. The Cubs limited how many swings Schwarber could take every day because they did not want him to injure himself. So, in between simulated games thrown by Cubs pitching prospects and others, Schwarber stood in a batting cage and tracked pitches from the pitching machine. He stood in there a couple hours every day for a few days, tracking close to 1,300 pitches overall. “It can get boring, but it’s serving a purpose,” he said. “But because I couldn’t swing, I was trying to do anything I could. And I had nothing but time. I literally had somebody stand behind me, we turned on the machine as high as it could go, and he called balls and strikes.”
• Oct. 22: Schwarber played in his first Arizona Fall League game for the Mesa Solar Sox. He went 0-for-3 with a walk.
• Oct. 24: He played his second AFL game, one day before Game 1 of the World Series. He went 1-for-3 with a walk. The Cubs told Schwarber that they would add him to the World Series roster. “To be honest with you, I didn’t think they were going to do it,” Schwarber said. “Just because my at-bats were OK. They weren’t the best. I wasn’t completely locked in. I think I had one hit and maybe hit a couple other balls hard. But I had a lot of rollovers and a couple walks. But I got a text after the game saying, ‘Hey, you’re going to bat fifth.’ They’re like, ‘Get dressed, we’ve got a plane waiting for you.’ They flew me to Cleveland.”
• Oct. 25: Schwarber went 1-for-3 with a walk in Game 1. He batted .412 (7-for-17) with one double, two RBIs, three walks, four strikeouts and a .971 OPS in the seven-game series. The Cubs won their first World Series since 1908.

None of this means Hoskins is guaranteed to return in October. But it can happen. Schwarber did it. Bryce Harper did it. He rejoined the Phillies on May 2 following Tommy John surgery in November, months earlier than expected. Harper readied himself without the benefit of a rehab assignment.

“A lot of things went right,” Schwarber said. “But I was completely shocked. I think it’s one of the prouder moments I’ve had.”