Cubs to Place Dansby Swanson on 10-Day IL With Oblique Injury

The Chicago Cubs are preparing to place shortstop Dansby Swanson on the 10-day injured list after he suffered a left oblique injury during Sunday’s 11-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

Manager Craig Counsell indicated that the injury is serious enough to require an IL stint. Swanson is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, which should provide a clearer picture of the injury and his expected recovery timeline.

Swanson sustained the injury while starting the third inning against Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins. After swinging through a first-pitch fastball, he immediately appeared to be in discomfort, took off his helmet, and exited the game. James Triantos finished the at-bat, while Nico Hoerner moved from second base to shortstop in the fourth inning and Triantos shifted over to second.

With roughly six weeks remaining in the regular season, the timing of the injury is concerning for Chicago. Oblique injuries can often require multiple weeks of recovery, meaning the MRI results will be critical in determining just how much time Swanson could miss.

Swanson has played in 119 games for the Cubs this season, posting a .216/.300/.404 slash line over 458 plate appearances. He has contributed 18 home runs, 16 doubles, 66 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in 18 attempts.

His bat had also shown signs of improvement recently. Since June 29, Swanson has posted a .489 slugging percentage and an .815 OPS, highlighted by a stretch in which he hit five home runs and collected eight hits over three games.

However, Swanson’s value to Chicago extends well beyond his offensive production. His absence could have an even greater impact defensively.

The shortstop has recorded 16 Outs Above Average and six Defensive Runs Saved this season. The Cubs entered Sunday ranked first in MLB in both fielding run value (63) and Outs Above Average (59). Swanson’s 12 fielding run value ranked eighth among qualified MLB players.

Nico Hoerner is expected to take over at shortstop while Swanson is sidelined. The two-time Gold Glove second baseman has already moved to the position, while rookie Pedro Ramirez could receive additional starts at second base.

Triantos provides another option in the middle infield, while Matt Shaw could also enter the mix if he begins a minor league rehab assignment in the coming days.

Fortunately for Chicago, Swanson has largely avoided significant injuries throughout his career. Since the beginning of 2020, he has appeared in 955 of a possible 995 games. His previous injured-list stints came in 2023 and 2024, with both absences lasting 10 days.

The Cubs will now wait for Monday’s MRI to determine whether Swanson can return after the minimum IL stay or faces a longer absence during the final stretch of the regular season.