The Chicago Cubs could be without shortstop Dansby Swanson for a little while, according to manager Craig Counsell.
Chicago dropped their series finale to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon by a score of 11-4.
However, more concerning than the loss was the fact that infielder Dansby Swanson had to exit the game with ‘left-side discomfort’ after his first at-bat in the game. He appeared to swing awkwardly, and it was announced following the game that Swanson would be headed for an IL stint.
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Dansby Swanson Headed to IL, Per Counsell
GettyWASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 12: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park on August 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Per manager Craig Counsell, Dansby Swanson will require an IL stint for his oblique injury, which is not good news for the Cubs.
Be on the lookout for a corresponding move by Chicago before their upcoming series with the White Sox, a cross-town showdown.
Dansby Swanson isn’t hitting for a very high batting average this season, but he plays exceptional defense at shortstop and has also clubbed 18 home runs across 403 ABs.
CBSSports.com’s RotoWire staff wrote (on 8/16):Â
“Swanson was removed from Sunday’s 11-4 loss to St. Louis in the bottom of the third inning after torquing the left side of his body on a first-pitch swing in his only at-bat of the day. The severity of the oblique injury is currently unknown, and Swanson will undergo an MRI on Monday. The 32-year-old is likely looking at a lengthy absence, and in his absence, Nico Hoerner will likely slide over to shortstop for the time being.”
Oblique injuries are notoriously difficult to recover from as a hitter, and even when Swanson does return, which may not be until late September, his offense could take an even further step back.
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Looking at the Cubs/Swanson Right Now…
GettyKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – AUGUST 07: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates after scoring against the Kansas City Royals in the second inning at Kauffman Stadium on August 07, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
MLBTR.com’s Mark Polishuk wrote (about the Swanson injury):Â
“Chicago therefore has enough depth on hand to withstand a relatively brief IL stint for Swanson. The nature of oblique injuries, however, creates immediate concern that the rest of his 2026 season could be in jeopardy. Even a moderate strain will probably shelve Swanson for at least a month. The Cubs have a healthy enough lead in the NL wild card race that losing Swanson probably wonât impact their playoff chances, but obviously it isnât great news to lose an elite defensive shortstop even for 10 days.”
The Chicago Cubs have been one of the hottest teams in MLB since the All-Star break. However, with their loss on Sunday (at home), the Cubs dropped a series for the first time in a while.
They are currently 72-53 and are five games behind the Brewers for first place in the NL Central.
Chicago is still firmly atop the NL Wild Card standings, and it will be interesting to see how they handle this Swanson injury and who enters the fold for the Cubbies over the next couple of weeks, or perhaps even longer.
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