Cubs Manager Craig Counsell to Leave Struggling Star in Heart of Lineup
Chicago Cubs skipper Craig Counsell has made it clear: Dansby Swanson will stay in the No. 5 spot in the lineup. For now.
According to The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma, Counsell values two specific things about having Swanson's bat in the lineup.
"The thing he’s been really good at over his career is hitting left-handed pitching and then the power,” Counsell said. “He’s got 14 homers."
That, in part, explains why he has remained in the heart of the order despite an underwhelming first half. But Swanson has struggled with runners on base, with .175 batting average overall in those situations and a .141 BA with runners in scoring position.
“How we hit with runners in scoring position every night is really important to whether we win or lose," Counsell said. "So I think we focus on that.”
Counsell’s decision to drop him to eighth briefly in April reflected some of Swanson's early-season struggles. Those issues with RISP become particularly problematic in high-leverage moments.
Counsell holding steady at fifth signals confidence that the shortstop will rebound at some point this season, most likely after the All-Star break.
There are some positives to moving Swanson lower in the batting order. It could ease some pressure and improve his hitting with RISP, but might deny the Cubs his middle-order power.
According to Bleacher Nation, Swanson hit .400 in 61 plate appearances, seventh in the lineup or below.
Still, Counsell appears willing to bet on Swanson’s track record, proving he believes consistency in the five spot could help end the slump sooner. After all, the Cubs are still playing phenomenal baseball, and getting Swanson back to form to make a World Series run should be the top priority.
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