It is crucial for the Chicago Cubs All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson to bounce back offensively after getting surgery this offseason.
With the Chicago Cubs poised to be one of the better teams in the National League this year with all the acquisitions they have made thus far, the Chicago Cubs are really looking primed to make a deep postseason run this year. In order for that to happen, one of the Cubs past offseason acquisitions All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson needs to find success at the plate.
Why it’s important for Swanson to be good offensively in 2025?
The Chicago Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to a free agent contract back in 2023 luring him away from the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs gave Swanson a seven-year $177 million which will expire after the 2029 season. So far, during Swansons tenure as the Cubs shortstop he hasn’t been able to put things together offensively to justify his contract so far.
Even though Swanson is one of the best shortstops in all of Major League Baseball having two Gold Gloves to his name and according to Baseball Savant he ranks in the 97th percentile for his fielding run value (14) and the 99th percentile for his range. Dansby has also proven to be a capable base runner in his career with ranking in the 94th percentile for his value as a base running and having 86 stolen bases for his career with only being caught just 26 times for a stolen base rate of 76.8%.
Justifying the contract
In order to justify giving Dansby Swanson that large of a deal, only paying him just a half a million more ($28 million) than his former teammate Cody Bellinger who is set to make $27.5 million this season. The Chicago Cubs were eager to move off of Bellinger contract to give them “roster flexibility” so they can go out and possibly use those funds to get a high-end starting pitcher, but I ask the question: What’s the difference with Dansby Swanson? Both Swanson and Bellinger are Gold Glove caliber players at premier positions, Bellinger centerfield and I would consider first base a premier position, and Swanson holding the captain of the infield spot with playing shortstop.
Bellinger in nineteen less games played than Swanson was pretty much the same player offensively as Swanson with having 137 hits, 23 doubles, 3 triples, 18 HRs, 78 RBI, 9 stolen bases for a slash line of .266/.325/.426 for an OPS and OPS+ of .751 and 111. In 149 games for Swanson he had 129 hits, 27 doubles, 2 triples, 16 HRs, 66 RBI, 19 stolen bags, for a slash line of .242/.312/.390 for an OPS and OPS+ of .701 and 98.
If the Chicago Cubs were willing to move on from Bellinger because of him not justifying his contract with his offensive numbers, than the same must hold true for Swanson, even though he has $137 million left on his deal compared to Bellinger who had potentially $52.5 million left if he chose to opt in next year.
Can Dansby Swanson bounce back?
As soon as the season ended news broke that Dansby had surgery to remove a hernia that was seemingly affecting him for a good part of the season. That could be the reason why we saw him have a dip in his offensive numbers if it hurt him whenever he swung the bat. Now, Swanson came out and stated that this will have no impact on him being ready to go for opening day with him progression with his offseason workouts with ease. That’s a good sign to see given his infield mate and double play partner fellow Gold Glover Nico Hoerner also having offseason surgery and his timetable not being know for his return.
The Chicago Cubs need a healthy Dansby Swanson maying the shortstop position this season as well as locking it in offensively for the Cubs to have success. If all that can happen and Nico Hoerner comes back and slots back in and gives his career numbers, then the Cubs should have a lot of success.
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