Cubs Injury Update: Dansby Swanson Leaves Cubs Game Early With Side Discomfort

The Chicago Cubs lost Dansby Swanson early in Sunday's game against the Cardinals, raising some concerns.

Jun 24, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) hits a grand slam home run during the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago Cubs fans are holding their breath after the third inning of Sunday's game at Wrigley Field.

Facing off against the St. Louis Cardinals in a rubber match, Dansby Swanson led off the inning with the Cubs behind 3-0. He proceeded to swing at a 96 mph pitch from Hunter Dobbins, before stumbling and throwing off his helmet. The shortstop proceeded to crouch down and looked to be in considerable discomfort.

Craig Counsell and a trainer quickly went on to meet with Swanson, only for him to leave the game. Swanson was noticeably frustrated as he strolled into the dugout.

Chicago Cubs SS Dansby Swanson left the game with an injury after an awkward swing. pic.twitter.com/1jDI1tnjYn

— ESPN (@espn) August 16, 2026

Dansby Swanson Exits Early in Scary Moment

Aug 11, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) finds a ground ball by Washington Nationals catcher Harry Ford (not pictured) during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Cubs would go on to share that Dansby Swanson exited with left-side discomfort, per Jesse Rogers. In other words, the exact injury is unknown. Craig Counsell was even interviewed shortly after during the ESPN broadcast, offering nothing specific and sharing that he hopes it's not serious.

If one thing is for sure, this is always a concerning way to leave the game. There is certainly a fear it could be a back or oblique injury, which are two issues that have a tendency to linger.

Now is not the time for the Cubs to lose arguably their best defensive infielder. They remain in a race for the top spot in the NL Central and have recently performed like one of the most well-rounded teams in baseball. Swanson has been an essential part of that, specifically because of his skills at shortstop.

Indeed, the Cubs have built their pitching rotation largely around ground-ball guys. They even went out and snagged both David Peterson and Clay Holmes from the Mets because of what this interior defense can do. Losing Swanson for any period of time could have a real domino effect.

Would the Cubs still have a solid interior defense with guys like Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman in the lineup daily? Absolutely, and Pedro Ramírez has also performed well when asked to take the field. Matt Shaw is on the brink of a return as well and has his own great instincts to offer.

Still, you don't lose a player as good as Swanson without feeling the impact. The Cubs will now cross their fingers that it's nothing too serious and perhaps all he will need is a few days off or a short IL stint to get right.

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