No, Ryan Sweeney’s nickname is not “DL.’’ Sometimes it just seems so.

Yet another major-league season was interrupted by injury June 29 when Sweeney crashed into the centerfield wall at Safeco Field in Seattle, chasing down a Kendrys Morales fly ball. He was diagnosed with a fractured left rib and eventually placed on the 60-day disabled list.

It was the latest in a frustrating string of injuries Sweeney has suffered in his 8-year big league career. He had a torn pinkie tendon, bruised right hand, injured thumb and right knee surgery while in Oakland. In Boston, he suffered a concussion and broken hand.

Sweeney has played in 82 games or fewer three of the past four seasons. Now this.

“It didn’t feel like I hit the wall that hard,’’ said Sweeney, a Cedar Rapids Xavier product. “The wall felt like a brick wall. When I hit it, it seemed harder than usual and I’ve heard that about Seattle. I think it was the impact more than anything else.’’

After starting the 2013 season at Triple-A Iowa, where he had a .337 batting average in 23 games, Sweeney was productive with the Chicago Cubs and became an every-day player. At the time he was injured, Sweeney had become an important piece in the offense, with a .295 average, four homers and 15 runs batted in.

The Cubs were 21-23 with him on the field.

"It's unfortunate. We kind of started to seem to get things going a little bit with the offense, and now we lose a big piece of that," Cubs Manager Dale Sveum said at the time of the injury.

"It's unfortunate for him, too. He's trying to get his career going and getting a chance to play every day. It stinks when those things happen to guys like that who are really good players and getting a chance, and all of a sudden it's taken away for a couple of months."

There was some speculation Sweeney might miss the remainder of the 2013 season, partly because recovery time is iffy for broken ribs. Sweeney says, not so fast.

“Some people thought I was going to be done for the year,’’ he said. “But I’m going to be back. I think I come of the DL the 29th or 30th (of August) and the club probably will wait until September 1st when they expand the rosters.’’

Sweeney has begun the recovery process and is looking forward to the day he can start patrolling the outfield again at Wrigley Field.

“It’s going better but getting kind of boring,’’ he said. “I started lifting weights (Wednesday) and some cardio last week. They’ve given me a workout schedule so I can try and get back in shape. The next step is to get cleared so I can hit off a tee and then some live pitching.’’

Sweeney will be a free-agent in 2014 and he seems comfortable staying in Chicago if the feeling is mutual.

“I haven’t really talked much about it but I have told the Cubs I like it there and would like to come back,’’ he said. “It’s definitely one of the first teams I would look at. If they want to, I could make a pretty quick deal.’’

Since Sweeney went on the disabled list, the Cubs have been active in the trade market. Gone are pitchers Scott Feldman, Matt Garza and Carlos Marmol, and outfielder Alfonso Soriano.

“I think they’re headed in the right direction. The chemistry is good,’’ he said. “We’ve kept some talent like (Anthony) Rizzo and (Starlin) Castro, the starting pitching is still pretty good and we’ve got some pieces in the bullpen.’’

This season and beyond, Sweeney would like to be a piece of the Cubs’ future.