Want more? Sign up for our Cubs Insider<\/a> and White Sox Insider<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dansby Swanson\u2019s defense continues to shine As much as a player goes through the mental pre-pitch preparation on defense, there are moments when instincts take over.<\/p>\n Or, as Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson put it, backyard baseball kicks in.<\/p>\n Swanson made a nifty double play<\/a> in Tuesday\u2019s win against the Kansas City Royals to help starter Matthew Boyd escape a tough spot. In the fifth inning with one out and the bases loaded as the Cubs led 2-0, Kyle Isbel lined a ball up the middle that Swanson snagged, then made a diving tag on the runner at second base, Freddy Fermin. Initially called safe, the inning ended when the replay review overturned the call and ruled Swanson successfully turned the unassisted double play.<\/p>\n \u201cDefense is always such a big part of this game and can bail you out in such big moments,\u201d Swanson said. \u201cAnd for Boyd to be able to maintain his composure and continue making good pitches in that moment, you\u2019re always thinking of situations beforehand and prepared for anything that could happen, and instincts take over after that.\u201d<\/p>\n Swanson\u2019s stellar defense again this season is part of a collectively strong defense. The Cubs\u2019 50 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) ranks third in the majors while fourth in Outs Above Average (OAA) with 19 and second in Defense (Def) at 22.8.<\/p>\n Cubs pitchers know their defense is an asset, and that being aggressive in the zone and potentially allowing more balls in play can be to their benefit.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was so good out there that, man, that play was huge at that point of the game, and it could have been a tipping point,\u201d Boyd said of Swanson. \u201cAnd he continues to make great plays when the game is on the line. And this is why he is who he is, right? He\u2019s kind of the heartbeat with this ball club, and it\u2019s pretty cool to see him do those things.\u201d<\/p>\n Assistant GM Josh Barfield keeping tabs on progress, adjustments The Sox recently played their 100th game of the season. With fewer than 60 contests remaining, assistant general manager Josh Barfield wants to continue to see how players are progressing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a lot of young guys on this team and you see the ups and downs of young guys,\u201d Barfield said Saturday in Pittsburgh. \u201cYou want to see them make adjustments, continue to play with energy, play hard.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been in a lot of games, finding ways to close more of these games, whether that\u2019s the offense continuing to pile on or the pitching coming in and shutting down, I think those are things we look at actively. We have a lot of guys that, while this year is really important and we need to finish it as strong as we can, we\u2019ve got guys who are shooting for next year as well.\u201d<\/p>\n The list of young players includes shortstop\/third baseman Colson Montgomery, who had a .261 average in 15 games coming into Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s done a really good job of slowing the game down,\u201d Barfield said. \u201cSome guys, when they get to the big leagues they just feel like they belong here. I\u2019ve talked to a lot of guys that have come up here for the first time. A lot of good players. They felt like, \u2018When I was in the minor leagues, I was grinding, but when I got up to the big leagues this is where I belonged,\u2019 and they run from there.<\/p>\n \u201cSo far, it looks like that from our vantage point. From Day 1, it\u2019s never sped up on him, he\u2019s had really good at-bats, he\u2019s not trying to do too much. Just a calmness about him, which is encouraging because early in the season I think he was trying to press and prove to everybody that he was ready to come up here. Now, he\u2019s starting to settle in.\u201d<\/p>\n Montgomery hit his first major-league home run<\/a> in Tuesday\u2019s 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just have to keep a level head and stay neutral with a lot of things,\u201d Montgomery said Tuesday in Tampa of some of his early lessons learned. \u201cAnd I felt like my coaches and my teammates and some of the veteran guys have helped me with sometimes you\u2019re just not going to get pitches to hit tonight and sometimes you are. And you\u2019ve just got to be ready for those opportunities and if you\u2019re not seeing the ball well, you\u2019ve just got to be ready for the situational hitting. And everybody here\u2019s been doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n Number of the week:\u00a0 35<\/p>\n The Sox scored 35 runs in their first four games after the All-Star break, matching the 2000 club for second-most in franchise history. The 1977 Sox scored 37 runs in their first four games coming out of the break.<\/p>\n Week ahead: Cubs Justin Turner has never been much of a threat to steal bases, especially now at 40 years old.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-cubs-royals026_231615304_403708.jpg\")
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson reacts after believing he successfully tagged out Kansas City Royals runner Freddy Fermin at second base for an inning-ending double play in the fifth inning of a game at Wrigley Field in Chicago on July 22, 2025. The umpire called Fermin safe, but a review overturned the call to an out. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-SOX-GUARDIANS-30_231359590_de8b5e.jpg\")
Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery breaks his bat in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Rate Field on Sunday, July 13, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-cubs-guardians-0701-2_230962146_6b620e.jpg\")
Chicago Cubs infielder Justin Turner walks on the field before the Cubs play the Cleveland Guardians at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n\n
![\"Chase](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-Z-2225157115_231529818.jpg\")
Chase Meidroth of the Chicago White Sox hits an RBI single in the sixth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on July 19, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (Justin Berl\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n