Dansby Swanson reveals the harsh truth Cubs fans already knew

When the Chicago Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to a seven-year deal ahead of the 2023 season, there was little question of the value he would bring to the clubhouse. Swanson's arrival marked the Cubs inching toward competitive years after their teardown at the 2021 trade deadline, but the biggest question was over his offensive impact.

Lumped in a free-agent class with Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, and Xander Bogaerts, Swanson didn't have the same offensive profile. He earned his reputation as one of the best defensive shortstops in all of baseball, but there were doubters of his offensive production during his final two seasons with the Atlanta Braves.

In his first season with the Cubs, Swanson, for the most part, held his own, posting a wRC+ of 105 with 22 home runs. For his contract, those weren't terrible numbers, but over the last two years, Swanson's offensive production has trended in the wrong direction.

It culminated in Craig Counsell moving Swanson down in the starting lineup, and it was a decision fueled by his struggles with runners in scoring position. Swanson had a wRC+ of 74 with runners in scoring position last season, and it was quite the difference from the 113 mark he when the bases were empty.

Dansby Swanson says the quiet part out loud about his recent offensive trend

Swanson met with reporters on Monday, the first mandatory full-team workout for the Cubs at spring training, and spoke to the struggles that fans have noticed in recent years.

It's certainly encouraging that Swanson has that level of awareness, but it's hard to find a scenario where his offensive production is dramatically different for the Cubs moving forward.

The biggest difference for Swanson last year, as opposed to his first two years with the Cubs, is that his strikeouts went up and walks went down. Swanson's walk rate, 7.3%, was the lowest it has been during his time in Chicago. On the other side, Swanson's strikeout rate, 26%, was the highest of his Cubs tenure.

It may sound overly simple, but Swanson needs to get on base more frequently. Improving his swing selection will certainly be a part of that improvement. Of course, it helps that Swanson now has Alex Bregman as a teammate. Bregman's swing decisions are among the best in baseball, and as he sought out the hitting profiles of his new teammates, the hope is that the All-Star third baseman is a voice of support for Swanson's search for offensive improvement.