‘I feel very good:’ Kyle Schwarber says his knee is 100 percent

Kyle Schwarber has no interest in being treated as a special case.

“I told you I expect to be good out there,” Schwarber said Monday. “I’m going to hold myself to a high standard. And I feel good out there.”

After missing nearly the entire 2016 season and being limited to a part-time but spectacular role in the World Series, Schwarber has shown no signs this spring that he tore two knee ligaments in his left knee last April. His injury raised some doubts outside the Cubs organization as to whether it was medically sound to let him play catcher again.

Schwarber checked the final box of his rehabilitation Friday when he caught four innings in a minor-league game. The expectation is that he’ll play as much as any Cubs position player, mainly in left field, and can serve as the emergency third catcher.

“I would say so, that it’s 100 percent,” Schwarber said. “I feel very good. All the continuous work that happened in the offseason led to where I am now, to be able to play multiple consecutive games.”

Schwarber acknowledged he’ll need occasional days off to give his knee a break.

“There’s always going to be” maintenance days, he said. “You’ll have to do some stretching and some stuff, just to make sure you don’t (overcompensate with the other leg).”

Schwarber has played fearlessly with the aid of a knee brace, as he has legged out two triples and slid into bases without hesitation. Manager Joe Maddon has marveled over Schwarber’s defense in left field, particularly on a catch in the left-center alley against the Athletics on March 12 and maintains that Schwarber’s defense has been unfairly maligned because of some misplayed balls in the 2015 playoffs.

“I’m really happy where I’m at,” said Schwarber, who also has played right field on occasion. He said he’s not sure when we would catch his next spring game.

Schwarber, who hit 16 home runs in 69 games in 2015 and five more in the 2015 playoffs, seems invigorated by the prospect of batting leadoff in a stacked lineup.

“It’s a cool spot,” Schwarber said. “I get to lead off the game, and then you don’t know what spot you’ll be hitting in. Being behind those big guys to try to get on base for them, to score some runs, and for the bottom guys who are on-base machines, it’s a tough lineup.

“If I come up with runners in scoring position, I just want to put up a good at-bat.”

Schwarber said he won’t change his approach at the plate. He has smacked three home runs this spring and has six walks and a .360 on-base percentage.

“I’m starting to feel comfortable at the plate, starting to see pitches,” Schwarber said. “Even the balls I do miss, I’m just missing. I feel good. Hopefully that works itself out during the season and with catching too.

mgonzales@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MDGonzales

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