The Chicago Cubs shortstop has been quietly tearing it up at the plate. And we mean quietly, because his season overall has been a struggle. But over the last 10 games, Dansby Swanson has been on an absolute tear that puts him in some pretty rare company.
Swanson drove in 22 runs over that stretch, which is the most by a Cubs player in a 10-game span since Sammy Sosa drove in 24 back in August 2002. That’s 22 years. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers pointed that out on X. It’s the kind of stat that makes you do a double take.
And it’s not just the raw total that’s impressive. The way he’s getting those RBIs matters too. Just last week against the New York Mets, Swanson went deep twice in the same game. One of those was a grand slam. He finished the night with seven RBIs. Rogers noted that Swanson is the first Cubs No. 9 hitter since at least 1901 to have a multi-homer game that includes a grand slam. That’s a century-old stat, folks.
A weird season for Swanson
Look, it’s been a rough year for the former All-Star. He came into the season with high expectations after signing that big contract, and for long stretches he just hasn’t looked like himself at the plate. The Cubs offense has needed him, especially with Cody Bellinger missing time and the lineup struggling for consistency. So this hot streak is a huge deal for Chicago.
The Cubs are sitting 5.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. That’s not an insurmountable gap. With a couple of good weeks, they could close that gap and make things interesting down the stretch. And Swanson is probably the key to that push. If he keeps hitting like this, the Brewers should be nervous.
The timing couldn’t be better. The Cubs are trying to stay in the playoff hunt, and they need their big-money guys to perform. Swanson is finally doing that. The question is whether he can keep it going for the next two months. If the last 10 games are any indication, he might just be getting started.
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