CLEVELAND -- For the first time since having knee surgery last month, Nick Swisher was in the Indians' clubhouse on Wednesday before the end of a three-game series against Kansas City.
Swisher, who had an arthroscopic debridement procedure done on both knees on Aug. 20, has spent most of the past five weeks in Los Angeles doing rehab at Select Therapy, which is the same place as Manny Machado and Yonder Alonso.
"It was hard to kind of pinpoint until you really got inside the knee. There was just a lot of debris floating around, a lot of things that shouldn't have been there," Swisher said. "We cleaned all that stuff, so now I'm just kind of starting with a clean slate and I'm just ready to get back to being myself and to be able to go out and play this game that I love pain-free."
While Swisher didn't go on the disabled list until late May due to knee problems, he said his right knee started bothering him on the final day of spring training. That led to overcompensating and problems with the left knee, which he hyperextended in late May to land on the DL the first time.
Once Swisher returned, he was mostly the designated hitter as Carlos Santana moved to first and Lonnie Chisenhall became the every day third baseman. It didn't help though as
Swisher hit .206 with five home runs and 23 RBI in the 48 games between DL stints.
Swisher ended the year with a .208 batting average, which was the lowest of his major-league career, along with 20 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBI in 97 games.
"I wanted to be out there. It was my call. It probably affected a lot of the way I played this year, but it's just nice to have all that behind me," Swisher said. "Now, it's just kind of a big overhaul on my body. I'm really excited to really get after it this offseason and come back next year strong."
In his two years with the Indians, Swisher is batting .231 with 24 home runs and 105 RBI in 242 games. He has two seasons left on a four-year, $56 million contract that also includes a vesting option for 2017 if he makes 500 plate appearances in '16 and passes a physical.
The way Swisher is looking at it though, he feels like he is six weeks into his offseason program and that he should be in peak condition when Spring Training starts in February.
"Make sure everything is strong the right way rather than going and pounding weights like a football player," he said. "I just think with everything we've done through rehab with the bands and the slides, I feel like I can put the Jane Fonda workout on no problem."
Added manager Terry Francona: "I think it's good for Swish to come back, check in and see everybody. I think that's also a little lift for him, which is good."
ROTATION UPDATE: For those looking to see Corey Kluber one final time this season, that will be on Friday when the Tribe open a three-game series against the Rays. Kluber has won his last four starts as he is making a bid to be the Indians' first Cy Young Award winner since Cliff Lee in 2008.
Carlos Carrasco is slated to go Saturday and Danny Salazar in the finale on Sunday. T.J. House will be in the bullpen.
