In a tense National League Wild Card Series that had Chicago buzzing, Dansby Swanson emerged as the quiet hero for the Cubs, his glove turning the tide against a gritty San Diego Padres squad. Game 1 at Wrigley Field set the tone early, with Swanson robbing Ryan O'Hearn not once, but twice—first with a diving stop in the second inning that saved a run, then an over-the-shoulder grab in shallow center during the fourth, keeping the Padres' threat at bay while the Cubs trailed by just one.
Indeed, Swanson's plays weren't flashy outbursts but the kind of steady, heads-down defense that propelled Chicago to a 3-1 series win, clinching their spot in the NLDS. The shortstop, who batted .250 over the regular season with 18 homers and 70 RBIs, showed why the Cubs inked him to that seven-year, $177 million deal back in 2023. O'Hearn, the Padres' designated hitter hitting .273 with power threats of his own, found himself repeatedly foiled by Swanson's range and instincts. It was almost poetic, or perhaps frustrating for San Diego, how these two tangled in pivotal moments.
However, the series wasn't all Swanson; Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly delivered back-to-back homers in Game 1's opener, a 3-1 victory that echoed through the North Side. Game 3 on Thursday night wrapped it up, with the Cubs' pitching holding firm—Matthew Boyd's composure in the clutch standing out amid the playoff pressure. Yet, for all the offense and arms, Swanson's fieldwork lingered as the subtle edge, a reminder that playoffs often hinge on such intangibles.
Moreover, as the Cubs gear up for deeper runs, questions swirl about sustaining this momentum against stiffer competition. Swanson's glove, though, proved reliable once more, underscoring a defense that ranked among the league's best at 92-70 regular-season mark.
One can't help but wonder if this brand of understated excellence will carry Chicago further into October's fray.