Masyn Winn (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
There are a number of reasons why the Chicago Cubs have had a miserable month of May. The offense went ice cold with most of the Cubs’ hitters seeming to take a collective nap. One of the bigger slumps has been endured by Dansby Swanson. Swanson has dealt with a knee issue which led to a stint on the IL, but all has not been well since he has returned to the lineup.
Recently I tweeted about at least three other shortstops in the NL Central being better shortstops than Swanson. Not everybody agreed. So, I took a closer look at the shortstops in the NL Central and it turns out Swanson might be the least effective of all five. I will say I appreciate Swanson’s steadiness, but I would take at least three, if not four shortstops in the division over Swanson. Here’s a quick thumbnail sketch of all five starting shortstops in the NL Central.
Elly De La Cruz:
Elly has one the best combinations of speed and power in baseball. Going into Friday’s action, Cruz has nine home runs and 44 RBIs. Couple that with 35 steals and seven triples and you have a prolific offensive player. And he’s been playing pretty good defense. His WAR sits at 2.2. Very impressive.
Willy Adames:
Willy along with William Contreras have been carrying the Brewers offense. Adames has shown off his excellent power this season, with nine homers and 39 RBIs. He’s also playing his typical good defense with a defensive WAR of 0.4 and an overall WAR of 1.9. Willy is due for a big paycheck after this season.
Oneil Cruz:
At 6’7″ while weighing in at a reported 215 pounds and with a rocket for an arm, Cruz has physical skills that are virtually unmatched in baseball. He has hit the hardest hit ball in baseball, with a line shot that was measured at 120.4 mph. I don’t think I would want to play first base with Cruz hitting. Oneil’s defense is not his strong suit, as he currently has a -0.2 defensive WAR. His overall WAR is 0.6. Because of his size, there is some question of if he will continue to play shortstop long term. Regardless, his bat will play somewhere.
Masyn Winn:
This guy is kind of a sleeper. He’s hitting .308 with an OBP of .358 and an OPS of .798. Masyn’s overall WAR of 2.2 is helped by a stellar defensive WAR of 0.9. I don’t know if that bat is for real, but the glove is. The Cardinals should be set at shortstop for a long time.
Dansby Swanson:
I was happy to see the Cubs sign Swanson. His 2023 season was okay, though his late season production dropped off dramatically. And 2024 hasn’t been productive for him either. His average has hovered around .200. His .596 OPS has definitely been a disappointment. Even his defense has been off a tick. Throughout his career Swanson’s bat has blown hot and cold. If it doesn’t warm up, he will indeed be the fifth rated shortstop in the division.
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