Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner Are A Dynamic Infield Duo, Leaders For Cubs

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Every successful team needs a middle infield to keep opposing offenses off the base pads and off the scoreboard. 

Image courtesy of © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

What’s better than winning? Winning in style, and that’s what, along with intangible leadership, Cubs’ Middle infielders Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson provide.

Every time you watch a game on Marquee, Jim Deshaies breaks down the defensive alignment for the Cubs. If you notice, and I know you do, this duo has gold glove icons next to their names, signifying being awarded that honor for their defensive prowess at their respective positions. Despite some extreme fielding woes this year, both players easily rank in the 90th percentile for their positions. Will they win them again this season? No, but when they’re at their best, this dazzling tandem is the two best in the majors, not just for the reasons you might think. 

The best teams in the business have a middle infield, making it tougher to get a ball to the outfield than getting into Wakanda in the first Black Panther movie. It hasn’t necessarily equated to wins, but the Cubs’ dynamic pair is that kind of middle infield. As incomprehensible as it sounds, given the team’s station, the team’s middle infield tandem as leaders are indispensable to the Cubs organization.

When things are rolling, the party is on. You can picture what I’m talking about: As early as this past Sunday, when the Cubs’ offense fires on all cylinders, it creates an atmosphere unlike anything else in baseball. The hit count rises, and so do the vibes. But, when things go wrong, and they often do, the club needs a voice or voices of reason to make sense of the hardships and keep things steady. Hoerner and Swanson provide that through their demeanor and perseverance, yet are two of the most chastised players on the team.

No one is beyond criticism, and this tandem certainly absorbs their fair share of it on social media, blogs, and other media outlets, claiming that their offensive droughts hurt the team’s performance more than other factors. The critique that aligns with this sentiment is fair, but it fails to consider their defensive mastery.

At 14 OAA, Swanson ranks just outside the Top 5 in the majors in outs above average. His colleague at second base ranks in the Top 30 in this category, and 7 OAA through that elite defense stopped six runs from scoring. Scant few are on par with what these two do, and if their counterparts on other clubs get more praise, like Anthony Volpe (13 OAA, NYY) and Andres Gimenez (12 OAA, CLE), they have better records. 

Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson, on some nights, sink the Cubs’ chances of winning through their meager offensive output. However, their elite defensive play cements them as fixtures in the squad’s lineup now and in the long term. They get to baseballs, make spectacular defensive plays, stop the other team from scoring, and are fun to watch. This year, we’ve talked a lot about this team’s identity and being a Chicago Cub. Through grit and top-tier play, the Cubs’ duo of middle infielders provides about as good a template as you’re likely to find. They’re great players, and they deserve to be on this team for years to come.

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