Last season, the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to team with Nico Hoerner for their middle of the infield. Where does this duo rank in MLB?
During the last offseason, there were four shortstops that many teams bid for to be a cornerstone of their franchise for the next decade. Carlos Correa signed with the Twins. Xander Bogaerts signed with the Padres. Trea Turner signed with the Phillies. That left Dansby Swanson, who signed with the Cubs. Although Swanson was considered the least of these four, the argument could be made that the Cubs shortstop had the best year of these prized free agents. In addition to winning his second Gold Glove, Swanson recorded his third straight 20 home runs and 80 RBI in the season.
Teaming Swanson with Cubs farmhand, Nico Hoerner formed a dynamic defensive duo. Furthermore, both have proved very valuable on the offensive side, having double-digit home run totals and 50+ RBIs each. Given both have contract status that will keep them with the Cubs for the next five years, this pair could be considered among the best in the majors. Let’s see how they compare to other top double-play combinations:
New York Mets
Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil give the Mets some pop and consistency in the middle of the infield matched by few other teams. Although older than other elite duos, Lindor and McNeil have been consistent contributors for several years. Both sports have an OPS north of .700 and combined for over 40 home runs in 2023. Having played all but six games, the pair shows they are dependable in the lineup daily.
San Diego Padres
Although the Padres haven’t specified yet, there is a chance that Fernando Tatis, Jr. could be moved to the middle infield. They could pair him with Xander Bogaerts to form a remarkable twosome. Both have an OPS over .770 combined for a WAR of nearly 10. Given their contracts and that they will be together for over a decade, this could be as formidable of a duo in the league.
Texas Rangers
From a purely offensive standpoint, there may be no match than the Rangers duo of Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. Combined last year, they had a 12.1 Offensive WAR and 1.839 OPS. They also combined for 62 home runs and nearly 200 RBI. Defensively, they are almost equally dominant, with only 14 errors in over 1,080 chances. These two are the best in the business right now.
Where do Nico and Dansby rank?
Given the statistics from this past year, it would be tough to put the Cubs duo higher than fourth. However, given their age and presumptive future together, Hoerner and Swanson could soon move higher on the list. For Cubs fans, this could be as welcome of a daily double as Dunston and Sandberg used to be back in the 1980s.
Main Photo Credits: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
