Cubs Place Dansby Swanson on IL

Swanson left Sunday's game in the third inning after taking an awkward swing during his first at-bat of the game; second baseman James Triantos would finish the plate appearance, while Nico Hoerner moved from second base to shortstop in the fourth inning. The Cubs initially said Swanson exited due to left side discomfort.

This injury to the 32-year-old is certainly a huge blow for the Cubs, as Swanson could miss significant time if the oblique injury proves to be serious.

It has been an up-and-down season for Swanson, who is in the fourth year of a lucrative seven-year, $177 million deal he inked with Chicago in December 2022. Across 119 games this season, the two-time All-Star is slashing .216/.300/.404 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI, a .704 OPS and 17 stolen bases.

With Swanson now on the shelf, the Cubs are expected to shift Hoerner to shortstop for the time being, paving the way for Pedro Ramírez to receive the bulk of playing time at second base. Ramírez has played well this season, batting .301 with two homers and 15 RBI in 48 games.

Chicago will now move forward without Swanson for an extended period and hope their starting shortstop returns for the postseason. Despite falling 11-4 to the Cardinals on Sunday, the Cubs still hold the top Wild Card spot with a record of 72-53.

The Cubs begin a three-game series with their cross-town rival, the Chicago White Sox, on Monday at Rate Field.