Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber is headed to the Arizona Fall League to continue his recovery from knee surgery, a source said Saturday.
Schwarber, 23, is expected to be in the starting lineup Saturday night for the Mesa Solar Sox.
Schwarber hasn't played in a game since tearing his medial collateral and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee after a collision with center fielder Dexter Fowler at Arizona on April 7.
Cubs officials have been adamant that Schwarber will not play this season but have explored the possibility of him playing winter ball as a final step in his recovery. Schwarber has displayed gradual improvement in agility drills over the past month.
If the Cubs advance to the World Series, there's the option of using Schwarber as a designated hitter if they believe he's healthy enough to run. Schwarber went 4-for-5 with a home run in his first major league start at Cleveland's Progressive Field on June 17, 2015.
Schwarber meets AFL eligibility requirements, since he played in only 69 games in 2015 for the Cubs, batting .246 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs. He played in only two games for the Cubs in 2016.
The left-handed hitting Schwarber hit five home runs during the postseason in 2016.
