The surprise returns
When reports surfaced on Feb. 23 that Dexter Fowler had signed a three-year, $35 million deal with the Orioles, his former Cubs teammates began texting him congratulations. Seven months later, Fowler was leading the champagne celebrations in the Cubs clubhouse.
Fowler's unexpected return helped propel the Cubs to one of their best seasons in decades and may be remembered as the move that took them to the promised land.
The saga started last winter when the Cubs made the free-agent center fielder a qualifying offer to get back a draft choice when he signed elsewhere. As much as they liked Fowler, the Cubs didn't want to offer him a long-term deal and believed agent Casey Close would get him one.
Fowler went through the winter unsigned, partly because teams didn't want to give up a valuable draft pick. But Epstein stayed in touch with Close, repeatedly asking him the same question:
“What's going on with Dexter?'“
The Orioles were interested, and Fowler was ready to sign. But when the deal fell through, Fowler told Close to call the Cubs. It didn't take long for Epstein and Close to hammer out a one-year deal with an option for 2017 that would guarantee Fowler $13 million and possibly give him another chance at free agency.
The deal remained a secret between Fowler, Epstein and Close. First baseman Anthony Rizzo had sent Fowler a text to congratulate him on signing with the O's but didn't hear back.
“I gave him 24 hours, and I was kind of like, ‘What?' ” Rizzo said. “Dex is usually good at texting back.”
Once Epstein knew Fowler's deal was under wraps, he came up with a plan to surprise everyone at camp in Mesa, Ariz.
“We all wanted Dexter to have a real nice moment,” Epstein said.
Fowler completed his physical in Mesa and waited for instructions at his hotel. The next morning, the Cubs dealt outfielder Chris Coghlan to the A's, clearing $4.8 million of salary and a roster spot.
The players had their backs to Epstein and Fowler as they approached the field.
“I remember they said, ‘Don't turn around,' ” Kyle Schwarber said. “I had to turn around and look ... and I'm like, ‘That really looks like Dexter.' ”
Maddon suddenly ended his speech and the players all turned to see Fowler with a smile a mile wide. The entire team burst into applause and began hugging him.
Fowler was home.
A season that began with a not-so-classic fall improbably culminated with Kyle Schwarber playing for the Cubs in the Fall Classic.
Schwarber's journey to October began in early April, when he lay facedown on the Chase Field warning track in Arizona, his left knee — and his season, it was thought — in shambles after a collision with Dexter Fowler three games into 2016.
His torn ACL and LCL left the Cubs and Schwarber to chew on a thought familiar to the franchise that hadn't been to the World Series since 1945: Wait till next year.
“The plan pretty much the whole time (was) that it was going to be spring training,” Schwarber said.
Doctors told him that. President Theo Epstein reiterated it throughout the season, even when Schwarber seemed to be way ahead of his rehab schedule.
A few days ago, though, a doctor delivered news that Schwarber had longed to hear since he suffered those tears.
“He's like, ‘Man, it's great. You're strong. I'm not going to hold you back from doing anything,' ” Schwarber said.
Schwarber immediately texted Epstein and expressed interest in returning. A quick trip to the Arizona Fall League, where he was 1-for-6 as a designated hitter, followed. There, Schwarber had a double, ran the bases well and watched the Cubs clinch the pennant on an iPad.
After his minor-league teammates doused him with champagne in a small celebration, Schwarber boarded a private plane and made his way to Cleveland, where he continued his rehab stint on baseball's biggest stage.
Those tears over his knee long gone, Schwarber was prepared for some tears in his eyes before he took a major-league field for the first time since April 7.
“I'll probably cry at some point today,” Schwarber said. “It was a long road, but once we step between those lines, it's game time.”
Manager Joe Maddon said he wasn't worried about Schwarber's lack of live experience this season.
“He missed the entire year physically, but he has not missed the entire year mentally,” Maddon said.
Game 2 starter Jake Arrieta admitted it was a lot to ask of Schwarber to jump back into the lineup. But there was a but.
“I think Kyle's a little different,” Arrieta said. “Even without seeing major-league pitching for a while, we're confident he can go out there and produce.”
Added Maddon: “We're going to find out.”
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