The Cubs’ plan to bring Dansby Swanson back this weekend changed when rain postponed his Triple-A Iowa rehab game in Omaha. Chicago had mapped out back-to-back games and a possible activation for Friday’s series opener in Cincinnati, but manager Craig Counsell said the weather forced the club to reconsider the next step.
Swanson is on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique injury. MLB.com reported that he was still expected to play Wednesday if conditions allowed, after which the Cubs would decide whether the shortstop could join the major-league club for the Reds series.
The same update closed the book on Shelby Miller’s 2026 season. Miller is expected to return in 2027, removing another experienced arm from the Cubs’ late-season depth while the club manages its pitching and roster decisions.
Swanson’s timetable matters because Cincinnati is the Cubs’ next road stop after the Atlanta series. His return would add a proven defender and middle-infield option during the stretch run, but the postponed rehab game means the club needs another checkpoint before treating Friday as a firm activation date.
The Cubs also enter the series with the division race settled against them after Milwaukee clinched the NL Central, leaving the Wild Card chase as the remaining postseason path. That makes the next roster decision more immediate: Chicago needs the healthy version of its infield while every remaining series carries a tighter margin.
