In a headline-grabbing moment thatâs ignited conversation across Major League Baseball and social media, Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson has called on fans to delete the X app (formerly Twitter) after a controversial post by billionaire Elon Musk. The outspoken tech mogul recently made a comparison between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs that rubbed players and fans the wrong wayâprompting a sharp response from Swanson, one of the Cubsâ clubhouse leaders.

Muskâs Controversial Post
The firestorm began when Musk posted on X:
âThe Cubs are like the Yankees⌠if the Yankees forgot how to win.â
The post quickly went viral, generating millions of views, retweets, and comments. While some fans treated it as a joke, others saw it as a direct insult to the Cubsâ legacy and their loyal fanbase.
Many criticized Musk for meddling in baseball conversations without a deep understanding of the gameâs history and culture. Others noted the timing of the commentâcoming just as the Cubs were building momentum in the NL Central raceâseemed deliberately provocative.

Dansby Swanson Claps Back
Not one to shy away from voicing his opinion, Dansby Swanson took to the media and his own social platforms to deliver a bold response.
âThis app is straight garbage now,â Swanson said in an interview after the Cubsâ home win on Tuesday.
âWeâre trying to grow the game of baseball, not have billionaires turning everything into a circus. Iâm telling fansâif you want real baseball, delete X and focus on the players, not the noise.â
His comments have sparked both support and criticism. Teammates reportedly backed Swansonâs stance, with several Cubs players liking and reposting his statement. Meanwhile, some MLB insiders say this incident reflects a growing discomfort among athletes about the influence of tech giants on sports discourse.
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Social Media Reacts
Swansonâs call to âdelete the appâ sent shockwaves across the baseball world and trended nationwide under hashtags like #DeleteX and #StandWithSwanson. Many fans echoed the sentiment, pointing to Xâs recent shift toward more provocative content and less sports-focused dialogue.
On the other hand, Muskâs supporters defended his right to speak freely and argued that the post was intended to be humorous. Musk himself responded to the controversy in a follow-up post:
âDidnât mean to upset Cubs fans. Just speaking the truth. Numbers donât lie.â
That post included a graphic comparing World Series winsâYankees (27) vs. Cubs (3)âfurther fueling the fire.

Cubs Organization Responds
While the Cubs organization has not officially commented on Muskâs post, a team spokesperson acknowledged Swansonâs remarks, saying:
âWe support our players when they speak up about the things they believe in. Dansby has been a respected leader in our clubhouse and around the league.â
Swanson, known for his professionalism and leadership, has rarely been involved in controversy throughout his career. That makes this public rebuke especially significantâand a sign of his deep commitment to the integrity of the game.

A Larger Conversation About Tech and Sports
This incident has reopened broader conversations about the role of social media in professional sports. As platforms like X become increasingly chaotic, players, coaches, and fans alike are grappling with the challenge of filtering entertainment from toxicity.
Sports analyst Ken Rosenthal weighed in on MLB Network:
âThis isnât just about one postâitâs about the environment players are navigating every day. Swansonâs response is a symptom of growing frustration with how platforms like X amplify negativity more than the game itself.â

Swanson: Focus On the Game
In a follow-up statement on Instagram, Swanson clarified his position:
âI love baseball. I love our fans. But I hate what this app has become. We play hard every day. We donât need distractions. We need support.â
He added that heâs not encouraging people to abandon all social mediaâbut to be mindful of where their attention goes. âThereâs great baseball being played right now,â he wrote. âLetâs focus on that.â
Final Thoughts
Whether fans agree with Dansby Swansonâs stance or not, his message has clearly resonated. At a time when digital platforms wield enormous influence over public perception, athletes are taking back control of their narrative.
As the Cubs continue their push for the playoffs, Swanson hopes the attention will shift back to the fieldâand away from viral jabs that contribute little to the game.
In a media landscape increasingly shaped by sensationalism, his bold words serve as a reminder: sometimes, turning off the noise is the most powerful play of all.