Cubs get unfortunate injury blow amid playoff race

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Cubs get unfortunate injury blow amid playoff race

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Aug 17, 2026 7:39 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs entered Monday with a 72-53 record, which has them atop the National League Wild Card race.

However, there are still six weeks left to play, and the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres are both tied with identical 67-58 records entering Monday. As it turns out, the Cubs were dealt a crushing injury blow to shortstop Dansby Swanson, who is expected to miss four weeks due to a strained oblique.

Manager Craig Counsell announced the news, but he added that Swanson will be back before the end of the regular season.

Dansby Swanson is expected to be sidelined four weeks with a strained oblique, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, meaning the Gold Glove shortstop should be able to return before the end of the season: “We’ll get Dansby back.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) August 17, 2026

The approximate timeline for a Grade 2 strain is 4-to-6 weeks, and the longer end of that would have Swanson return right around the postseason.

This season, Swanson is hitting .216 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI, and 78 runs scored while playing in 119 games. After he left Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Nico Hoerner slid from second base to shortstop, and James Triantos replaced Swanson in the batting order.

For Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field, Hoerner was listed as the shortstop with Pedro Ramirez playing second base.

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