5 Cubs on Thin Ice After Missing Postseason 4th Year In A Row
By Zoe Grossman
1. Dansby Swanson
Swanson, who signed a seven-year deal worth $177 million in the 2022 offseason, hasn't quite been the superstar that the Cubs perhaps thought they were getting.
The 2021 World Series Champion had a career year in 2022 with the Braves just before entering free agency, where he hit .277 with 25 home runs, earned his first All-Star nod, and won a Gold Glove.
That resume was enough to get Jed Hoyer to make Swanson a Cub, but his first two seasons in Chicago have overall been a disappointment. While Swanson has been one of the best defensive shortstops in MLB, his production at the plate has been a cause for concern.
Swanson has only managed a .243 batting average in his two seasons in Chicago, compared to his .255 mark over seven years in Atlanta.
While he was an All-Star and a Gold Glover in his first season with the Cubs, Swanson's biggest scare came in the first half of 2024.
He hit a measly .205 in May and June, a stretch over which the Cubs went 17-27. It wouldn't be until August that Swanson got hot, hitting .283 with a .822 OPS in the final two months of the season.
The good news is that the 30-year-old seems to be trending upwards - but he'll need to find that rhythm all season long next year if the Cubs want to be competitive.