Just as we all expected three weeks ago, Dansby Swanson leads all Braves in Fangraphs WAR

I’m an unapologetic Dansby Swanson supporter, and it’s not because I think he’s a top-five shortstop in the game or is irreplaceable. However, when he goes into one of his abysmal slumps every season, I have to remind everyone this is who he is. Swanson is one of the streakiest players in baseball, but at the end of the day, he gets the job done more often than not and is a critical piece to the success this team has had over the last few seasons.

Will the Braves re-sign him? Who knows. I’m not even sure if they should give him what some other team might offer him on the open market this offseason, but I do know one thing — the man who everyone was telling me belonged in AAA a few weeks is now leading the entire Braves team in FanGraphs WAR. Here are the top-five:

1. Dansby Swanson — 1.1 fWAR

2. Max Fried — 1.1 fWAR

3. Kyle Wright — 1.0 fWAR

4. Travis d’Arnaud — 0.8 fWAR

5. Austin Riley — 0.8 fWAR

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I’ll be the first to admit I don’t always agree with the way FanGraphs comes up with their WAR. It’s difficult for me to fathom how Swanson has been a more valuable player than the likes of Austin Riley, Max Fried, or Kyle Wright this year. Still, this is a testament to the value Swanson brings all around. He’s one of the better defensive shortstops in the game, he’s more than serviceable at the plate, and he does all the little things that help teams win games. At this point, if you’re still slandering him, you’re nothing more than a hater blinded by your own ignorance.

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