Dansby Swanson status update reveals one awful trend the Cubs still need to avoid

The Chicago Cubs may be approaching a familiar territory with shortstop Dansby Swanson. Swanson exited Tuesday's victory over the San Diego Padres with a glute cramp, and the veteran shortstop is not in the team's lineup for Wednesday's finale in San Diego.

Nico Hoerner gets the start at shortstop with Matt Shaw getting the nod at second base. The Cubs are off on Thursday before returning to Wrigley Field for a weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Craig Counsell may want to piggyback Swanson's off day on Wednesday with the team's off day on Thursday, and give the 32-year-old some extra time off his feet.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Counsell suggested that there was no reason to be concerned with Swanson's injury.

“He’s feeling good,” Counsell told reporters. “It happened on the slide, so I think his hip and glute got jammed up when he hit on the slide. He’s feeling pretty good. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow, but optimistic that it’s not something serious.”

It's hard to give the Cubs the benefit of the doubt with injuries

The Cubs' struggles with injuries this season have certainly been well-documented. The pitching staff has been thinned, and the reinforcement that was Justin Steele's return just got delayed. Outside of Kyle Tucker last season, the position-player side of the roster was unusually healthy.

Swanson's absence from the starting lineup is a reminder of a trend that's followed the Cubs in recent years. There have been multiple instances where a position player has been injured to the point where they have missed several games, but not to the extent that the Cubs used an IL stint.

Assuming Swanson is back in the lineup on Friday, there shouldn't be any concern. Questions will need to be answered if Swanson remains sidelined into the weekend.

If nothing else, it's a reminder of the value that Matt Shaw brings to the Cubs' roster. Once Alex Bregman was signed by the Cubs, the team made clear that Shaw would be a valuable piece to the roster in 2026. Shaw has played six different positions this season for the Cubs, and allows for the Cubs to give veterans like Swanson a day off and feel like their lineup isn't taking a step back.

On a more positive note, Bregman is back in the starting lineup as the team's third baseman after a toe injury limited him to pinch-hit duties on Tuesday.

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