Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday after sustaining an oblique injury during the team's 11-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The injury occurred in the third inning when Swanson swung and missed at a pitch, immediately experiencing discomfort and exiting the game.
An MRI scheduled for Monday will provide more details on the injury, but initial assessments suggest a recovery timeline of four to six weeks, potentially sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season. Swanson, 32, described the sensation as his "left side kind of tightened up."
Nico Hoerner is expected to shift from second base to shortstop to cover Swanson's position. In his absence, the Cubs face a critical stretch as they compete for playoff positioning. The team was five games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central race and held the top NL wild-card spot by five and a half games entering Sunday's games.
Swanson, a two-time Gold Glove winner, has been a significant contributor to the Cubs this season. He has hit .216 with 18 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. Defensively, he has recorded only six errors and ranked eighth in Major League Baseball in Fielding Run Value this season, according to Baseball Savant.
"He's critical to our defense," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said during the broadcast. "He's one of the better shortstops in the game. Hopefully, it's not too bad."
This marks Swanson's first stint on the injured list since May 2024.