3 Cubs who should take the fall for Chicago's late-season collapse
By Luke Norris
Cubs who should take the fall for the collapse: Dansby Swanson
Like Christopher Morel, Dansby Swanson was having a solid season before the calendar turned to August.
On July 31, the former Brave was slashing .263/.348/.429, strong numbers that had earned him a second straight trip to the MLB All-Star Game. Swanson sadly had to skip the Midsummer Classic with a left heel contusion.
And while he played good baseball in the first seven to 10 days after making his return from the disabled list, he faltered the final two months.
In August, Swanson slashed .184/.264/.398. Like Morel, his September was slightly better but still inferior to what Cubs fans had gotten used to seeing. Over the final month, the clubhouse leader hit just .236 with three home runs and 14 runs batted in.
In the three-game set against his former team during the final week of the season, Swanson went just 1-for-10 as Chicago was swept by Atlanta. At least he got that nice tribute, though.
To his credit, the 29-year-old at least acknowledged his poor play, saying he hadn't "performed in moments recently" and that he was "just playing bad." He certainly wasn't lying.