Dansby Swanson, the Cubs’ two-time All-Star shortstop, is officially sidelined for about a month, hitting the 10-day injured list Monday with a left oblique strain he picked up during Sunday’s tough loss to St. Louis. This isn’t just a bump in the road, folks; manager Craig Counsell expects Swanson to miss roughly four weeks, which is a massive blow to the heart of the Cubs lineup.
The Infield Shuffle Begins For Chicago
Losing a player of Swanson’s caliber for a whole month is never easy. The guy’s been a constant presence, playing in 119 games this season, and despite a .216 batting average, he’s still knocked out 18 homers and driven in 66 runs. That’s some serious power production that just disappeared from the middle of the order. You know what that means: someone else has to step up big time. For Monday night’s game against the crosstown White Sox at Wrigley Field, the immediate answer was Nico Hoerner, who slid over from second base to fill Swanson’s shoes at shortstop. This move isn’t just about one guy, it’s about disrupting the entire defensive alignment, forcing adjustments across the infield. It’s a challenge that tests the whole squad’s versatility.
More Injuries Plague The Pitching Staff, Roster Depth Tested
The bad news didn’t stop with Swanson’s oblique strain, either. The Cubs also had to place right-hander Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list due to a right middle finger blister. This dude just can’t catch a break, making his first start since June 23 after being sidelined with a hamstring injury, only to last 3 2/3 innings on Sunday and take the loss. Talk about tough luck, right? Then there’s Daniel Palencia, another right-hander who’s been dealing with an elbow injury for more than two months; he got moved to the 60-day IL in what they’re calling a procedural move, even though he’s expected to rejoin the bullpen soon. These pitching injuries mean the bullpen and rotation depth are getting absolutely hammered right now. To help cover all these holes, Chicago recalled outfielder Kevin Alcantara and right-hander Javier Assad from Triple-A Iowa. They also went out and purchased the contract of infielder Owen Miller from Iowa, a dude who signed as a free agent in the offseason after playing last year with Colorado. Getting Miller up is a direct response to Swanson’s injury and Hoerner’s shift, showing how quickly they need to find answers for that infield.
This is a real test for the Cubs. With Swanson out for four weeks and pitching depth taking a hit, they’re going to need their Triple-A call-ups to perform under pressure. Every single one of these guys, from Hoerner taking over at short to Miller potentially getting reps at second, has to deliver. How they navigate this stretch will define a lot for the team moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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