Pictures of Dansby Swanson

Dansby Swanson returned from two-game absence and hit two homers, giving him 12 this season and setting him on course to reach 27 homers and 3 fWAR for the second consecutive year – giving the Cubs exactly what they needed in a huge way!

Swanson hit hard last night and was fortunate enough to walk three times while still managing to remain composed on the field. He’s an integral member of this Cubs squad and will remain an important factor as their rebuilding project moves forward over time.

While his hitting numbers might not look impressive on paper, there is much to admire about his approach at the plate. Not only is he getting on base at an incredible clip but he’s doing so while hitting for power with an impressive barrel percentage – qualities which cannot be faked and make him one of the best hitters currently playing in baseball.

His success can be attributed to his improved sight-reading. Currently leading the league in sliders seen (25%), and boasting an above-average spin rate when they do appear, he could become an exceptional hitter with proper mechanics – something which may just happen under new management with Cubs this season.

As previously stated, he’s an important leader on this team, having successfully maintained his composure on the field in a major way. His teammates can count on him – something which can be found uncommonly rare these days in baseball.

Swanson is also an exceptional defensive shortstop, ranking as a plus defender in modern baseball games. Furthermore, he has proven effective at running bases this year thanks to his speed.

Swanson will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and is expected to be highly sought-after on the market. Hailing from Georgia, he could be an attractive target for the Braves who would love another run at winning the World Series title with him back. They came close in signing Freeman prior to this offseason; perhaps Swanson will follow suit too if Jon Heyman of The New York Post tweets out about them as one of many teams interested. Furthermore, both Cubs and Braves could potentially bid against each other during free agency – so stay tuned as this winter unfolds!