Overview
- Swanson has struggled at the plate through early June with a season slash of about .183/.293/.330 and steeply down offensive metrics over an extended sample.
- An MLB insider publicly urged the Cubs to give Swanson regular days off or bench him temporarily to try to spark the lineup.
- Swanson remains an elite defender with recent Gold Gloves, a high fielding percentage and strong assist totals, which would decline if he were removed from the everyday lineup.
- Internal options exist: Nico Hoerner has prior shortstop experience and could fill in while utility Matt Shaw works back from rehab, but either move would trade defense for a marginal offensive upgrade.
- The decision is sharpened by Swanson’s seven-year, $177 million contract and the Cubs’ win-now stance, so the club must weigh a short-term roster change against the risk of losing defensive value and long-term roster continuity.