Dansby Swanson Nears Return to Cubs Lineup Following Oblique Injury

Shortstop Dansby Swanson will begin using a Trajekt hitting machine this week as he prepares for a rehab assignment and a late-September return to the Cubs.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is scheduled to begin hitting on a Trajekt machine during the team's upcoming series against the Atlanta Braves, manager Craig Counsell announced. The 32-year-old veteran has been sidelined since mid-August after suffering a minor oblique injury on an awkward swing against the St. Louis Cardinals. Swanson, who was batting .216 with 18 home runs prior to the stint on the injured list, has already progressed to light fielding and running drills.

The recovery plan calls for Swanson to complete a rehab assignment before rejoinining the major league roster for the final 10 days of the regular season. While he has been out, Nico Hoerner has moved from second base to fill the vacancy at shortstop. Swanson reported feeling better on Monday and is now ready to transition from light activity to swinging inside a batting cage.

According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, this marks the first oblique injury of Swanson's career. The Cubs expect his total absence to last approximately one month. His return is expected to solidify a middle infield that ranks highly in MLB defensive metrics when Swanson and Hoerner are paired together.