Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is coming off of back-to-back seasons with at least 25 home runs, and after more than 100 plate appearances with his new club, he’s finally on the board.
Swanson, who signed a seven-year contract with the Cubs over the offseason, was facing Tim Hill in the bottom of the seventh inning at Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon when he looped a solo home run into the left field basket:
The home run certainly wasn’t the most prodigious of Swanson’s career, leaving his bat at 96.7 miles per hour and traveling an estimated 359 feet according to Statcast, but it was enough to get the job done as he extended the Cubs’ lead over the Padres to 5-1.
Swanson came into the game in a slump, but finally broke through with a single in the fifth inning. He then followed that up with his home run in the seventh in what was his 105th plate appearance of the season.
According to Cubs’ media relations, Swanson’s 23 games without a home run to begin the season was the longest he’s experienced within a season since he went 39 games without a long ball during the 2019 season.
Despite the struggles, Swanson still had a .274 batting average and an on-base percentage of nearly .400 entering play on Thursday, largely on the strength of the 17 walks he’s drawn in just over 100 plate appearances.
MLB
He earned an All-Star bid last season with the Atlanta Braves, clobbering 25 home runs and driving in 96 RBI’s.
Nelson Velazquez and Eric Hosmer also hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second inning for the North Siders as they aim to take the rubber match of a three-game series against the Padres.
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