Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson wasn’t always sure Chicago was the right fit, but he eventually overcame that doubt.
Dansby Swanson signed a seven-year, $177 million deal with the Cubs this offseason — the third of four All-Star caliber shortstops to ink a new contract this winter. Swanson was voted to his first All-Star team in 2022, and made it count.
Dansby’s wife, Mallory Pugh, plays for the NWSL Chicago Red Stars, so there was an easy connection to the Windy City. The pair got married this winter, just prior to Swanson’s free agent decision.
Swanson wasn’t prioritized by a Braves front office that frankly wasn’t interested in paying him upwards of $200 million. Atlanta valued Swanson, sure, but this past campaign was his first All-Star appearance for a reason. The smart money is on a regression of some sort, even if it’s a minuscule one.
MLB rumors: Why didn’t Dansby Swanson feel sure about Cubs?
“Basically [he] said, ‘To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure this was the right place for me,’” MLB reporter Jon Heyman said on 670 the Score with Mully & Haugh. “But he became convinced. And when I saw him, he was happy that he made that decision.”
Swanson reportedly isn’t all that interested in the city of Chicago itself. His wife made a difference, as he and Mallory will start a family with Dansby on the Cubs.
“He’s not interested in going to Chicago,” Heyman said. “Even though it’s probably the best city in the country, at least in my opinion, and the best pizza and the best hotdogs. And it’s awesome and beautiful and all that. And he doesn’t care at all about it. He only wants to win.”
Swanson’s interest in the Cubs is the organization itself — and winning. With the Braves, Dansby grew used to competing on an annual basis. That hasn’t been the case in Chicago since their World Series win in 2016.
Chicago will grow on Swanson. As for the Cubs, he’s all-in.