Craig Counsell has seen enough. Shortstop Dansby Swanson has been struggling to produce positive results through the first month of the 2025 season and his prolonged slumped has forced Counsell to move Swanson way down in the Cubs starting lineup.
Following an off day the Cubs start a three-game series on the road Tuesday night against the Pirates. Swanson remains in the lineup, but now the right-handed hitter is slotted in the No. 8 spot in the batting order. That’s one of two major moves in the lineup as catcher Carson Kelly is batting in the cleanup spot, while Michael Busch gets the start against left-handed starting pitcher Andrew Heaney.
Craig Counsell shakes up #Cubs lineup a bit:Happ LFTucker RFSuzuki DHKelly CBusch 1BHoerner 2BPCA CFSwanson SSBerti 3B
Imanaga SP
— Andy Martínez (@amartinez_11) April 29, 2025
Swanson enters Tuesday’s game with a slash line of .181/.232/.345, in 126 plate appearances. He’s still providing elite defense at shortstop, but Swanson has been awful in the middle of the lineup, batting fifth all year and rarely coming through with men on base.
At least during the first couple weeks of the regular season Swanson was making quality contact. He certainly ran into some tough luck, but as of late he’s been flat out awful. Since April 9, Swanson has not homered and has only posted a .376 OPS in 65 plate appearances. Those struggles have come with a strikeout rate of 41.5%.
So, Swanson is booted down in the lineup vs. a tough lefty while Busch gets the start over veteran Justin Turner. The Cubs were hoping Turner would give the team good numbers against left-handed pitching this year, but so far he hasn’t done much, recording .446 OPS overall and going 4-for-18 vs. LHP so far in 2025.
Heaney has been one of the best starters in MLB so far this year as the left-hander has a 1.72 ERA with 31 strikeouts to only 6 walks in 31.1 innings. Heaney has not allowed a run to score in his last two starts, combing to throw 13.1 shutout innings against the Nationals and Angels, respectively.
Kelly, who has been moved up to fourth in the Cubs lineup Tuesday night has good numbers throughout his career vs. LHP, putting up a 117 wRC+ against southpaws.
