At the beginning of September, as the Chicago Cubs geared up for a potential playoff run, David Ross recalled Dansby Swanson walking by the manager’s office and saying, “Well, no more off days until we clinch.”

“I probably told him that in April, too,” Swanson said.

Confidence and consistency were part of the package when the Cubs signed Swanson to a seven-year, $177 million contract last winter. What sort of looked like a desperation move at that moment — a bad team splurging on a good shortstop after Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa (pending medical reviews) reached agreements elsewhere — has been validated as a landmark deal for an organization on the rise.

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This season could still come crashing down on the Cubs. That’s the beauty of playing the biggest game of the year every day for weeks. It’s what Swanson signed up for, not knowing exactly when the Cubs would be a great team, but understanding that his job would encompass more than just what happens on the field.

That give-and-take between Swanson, Ross, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manager Carter Hawkins is a big part of the creative energy around the Cubs. “Jed walks by around the trade deadline and he’s in his ear,” Ross said, remembering how Swanson lobbied for the front office to keep the team together and add major-league players instead of subtracting Cody Bellinger for prospects.

The back-and-forth in this long-term partnership also means that the Cubs will likely try to curb Swanson’s enthusiasm for playing 162 games next season. There are too many day games at Wrigley Field. Swanson will turn 30 next year. A collapse in the final week of this season would force Ross’ coaching staff and Hoyer’s front office to reevaluate every little decision in the aftermath.

But throughout all the ups and downs in this unpredictable season, you’ve never felt a sense of doom inside the Wrigley Field clubhouse. That calmness is a tribute to catcher Yan Gomes, pitchers such as Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks and Jameson Taillon, and everyday players like Bellinger, Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner. It all starts, though, with Swanson, who’s not particularly loud or flashy, though he’s always paying attention.

“I love seeing where we started and where we’ve come to,” Swanson said. “What people looked at the Chicago Cubs as (when the season started) versus what they (see) now. To me, there’s a difference in how we go about our business and the expectations and standards that we’ve started to create here. That’s a big deal. If you want sustainable success, you need that part first. I feel like we’ve done a really good job of building on that. Every day we show up, we expect to win. That’s a really important step until you can really thrive at a high level.”

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The stakes will be much different for the Cubs and Atlanta Braves when they begin a three-game series on Tuesday night at Truist Park. The Braves haven’t missed a beat without Swanson, winning 100 games and closing in on the best record in baseball and the top overall seed for the playoffs. At the same time, Swanson has proven that he’s more than just a cog in the machine, delivering 22 home runs, Gold Glove-caliber defense and intangibles that are impossible to measure.

“He’s around the food room talking about, ‘Hey, do you like to guard the line with a one-run lead and play no-doubles defense?’” Ross said. “He’s thinking about winning plays, winning situations. He comes to me and talks about game-calling. He sees all aspects of the game. He’s not just absorbed with his performance. He’s pissed when he’s not doing well, but he’s also focused on the W.”

“It’s such an interesting thing,” Hoerner said. “How can you care as much as possible every single day and also not let that result define how you act or treat people or how you approach the game yourself? Staying consistent with that is even harder towards the end of the year as results are magnified. But trying harder or things like that isn’t going to help the team at this point. It’s about continuing to be as prepared as we’ve been for the last two or three months that we’ve been playing good ball.”

Swanson set that example while the Cubs were 10 games under .500 and 10 games over .500, an in-season swing that had never happened before in franchise history. He’s made three errors in his last eight games, an uncharacteristic defensive lapse that has added to the chorus on social media wondering why he didn’t get a day off at some point after his return from a left heel contusion in July. He’s also posted a .778 OPS in September, lengthening a lineup that has outperformed expectations.

“At this point in the year, no one feels great,” Swanson said. “You just have to find a way to get over the hump. We got so many guys in this locker room that are ultra-competitive and believe the same things. That’s why we’re in a good position to be successful.”

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Winning is the brand that Swanson created at Vanderbilt, turning himself into the Most Outstanding Player at the 2014 College World Series and the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s 2015 draft. The Vanderbilt connection and their shared Georgia roots helped open the line of communication with Hawkins, a relatively new Cubs executive who wasn’t closely tied to the team’s recent past. The Braves, an organization that still carries some old-school sensibilities about doing your job every day, did not teach Swanson about load management.

Could Swanson have used a day off when the Cubs played 27 games in 27 days? Perhaps. Ross acknowledged everyone was “grinding” by the end of the Colorado series and they weren’t playing their “brand of baseball” on that road trip. But this is what Swanson knows. Braves manager Brian Snitker rides his core players. Matt Olson hasn’t had a day off this season and Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. only have due to injury or illness. Communication, the eye test and some advanced data alert the Cubs if their players may be dragging, but otherwise, the key guys are playing.

Swanson had “way too much time on his hands” once he was forced onto the injured list, Hoyer recalled on The Athletic’s “Starkville” podcast. “Dansby was sort of playing front-office guy” as the team intensified preparation for the trade deadline. The Cubs were 40-45 on July 5, which marked Swanson’s last game before the All-Star break. The Cubs activated Swanson on July 22, which became the second victory in the eight-game winning streak that prevented a sell-off. Whatever happens after Game 162, Swanson will continue to engage Hoyer and Hawkins in conversations about the franchise’s direction.

“We sort of sold him when he came here on the idea that we’re getting better and better,” Hoyer told The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. “If you join us now, we think you’re going to be part of something special. But, hey, the first year, it may not be the best team you’re a part of. You’re going to help us build something. I think he has taken that to heart. He wants to be part of the building process. He wants to be part of the thought process.

“I was honest with him. I said, ‘Right now, we’re seven under. We have to look at our odds and what we’re trying to build.’ His point was you can’t just snap your fingers and decide it’s time to win. It’s a culture. It’s a mindset.”

What’s it like to go to work at Wrigley Field?

Jed Hoyer joined us on Starkville and described it

“There’s a little extra gear that happens here.”

Jed’s insights into trades and team building were amazing.

Apple:
Spotify:

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) August 22, 2023

Hoyer referenced former Cubs manager Joe Maddon’s “5 Levels” for major-league players, how they start at happy to be here and go into survival mode. In Maddon’s construct, the better players eventually feel like they belong and then want to make as much money as possible. The 2016 World Series team Maddon managed had several “Level 5” players who had evolved to the stage where they were completely focused on winning in Chicago.

“You have no idea how (Dansby’s) playing if you talk to him,” Hoyer said. “He’s at that place in his career and as a person where he’s just all about ‘I’m here to win.’ The more players you can get to that point, the better. As a fan, I certainly would imagine that every player is all about winning. But you realize that it’s hard to get there. A lot of guys are worried about: ‘Am I going to be in the big leagues tomorrow? Am I going to make money? I’m in arbitration.’ There’s a lot of factors that take away from that. When you get players that just wake up in the morning and think about winning — and that’s it — it’s a great place to be. Dansby’s clearly into that group.”

Level 5 ALL I WANT TO DO IS WIN
Level 4 I Want to Make as Much Money as Possible
Level 3 I Belong Here I Can Do This
Level 2 Survival
Level 1 Happy to Be Here

5 Levels of Being a Professional
⁦@korkedbaseball⁩ ⁦@Maddonrespect90⁩ ⁦@Cubs⁩ ⁦⁦@LafCol⁩

— Joe Maddon (@MaddHalos) March 18, 2019

If winning isn’t a switch that can be turned on and off, then it clearly makes a difference whether the Cubs make the playoffs or not. There is money to be made in October, opportunities for young players to experience a higher level of competition, more patience that can be afforded this winter or next season if the 2023 postseason is part of their permanent record. Swanson already knows it’s all about how they finish these last six games.

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“In a perfect world, you’d say they all matter the same,” Swanson said. “But as you get to the end of the year, it’s natural. September rolls around and everyone can see the standings. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. You can see what you’ve been working towards, and you start laying it out there each and every day. It doesn’t really matter how you feel mentally and physically. You just have to strap it up and go.”

(Top photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)