Michael Busch corralled a Josh Naylor ground ball at first base, spun and threw off-target to second base, but that’s when shortstop Dansby Swanson executed the best play on Opening Day in the Cubs’ 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks.
What makes so many of Swanson’s spectacular plays on defense and this goes for most elite defenders, is the ease in which he makes difficult plays look. This could have been a disaster with Swanson potentially having the ball go off his glove and everyone would have been safe. Maybe a split second of distraction by Swanson and Busch’s throw ends up in left field, creating an even messier situation for Justin Steele as he was nearing the end of his start.
But no. Instead, Swanson not only got the out at second, he proceeded to perfectly toss an unbalanced throw back to Busch to complete an inning-ending double play in the fifth on Thursday night in Arizona.
This was a work of art.
Dansby Swanson makes it look too easy 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/bDpPFUzPQt
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 28, 2025
Those are the types of plays Swanson has made for years and while they may go unnoticed in the box score it’s the reason the shortstop continues to provide so much value for the Cubs.
It’s also why you’ll take the stretches when Swanson isn’t producing much at the plate because he more than makes up for it with his defense.
The 31-year-old shortstop had a down 2024 season on offense, producing a 99 wRC+. However, he did bounce back in the second half of the year and some of his early-season struggles were certainly attributed to a nagging knee injury. After the season, Swanson underwent surgery to address a sports hernia.
Fully recovered from that procedure, Swanson will once again project to be a gold-glove caliber shortstop in 2025, and he showed why with that defensive gem on Opening Day.
