Dansby Swanson's tenure in Atlanta is reportedly over after six-plus seasons, a run that included a World Series title in 2021.
Swanson was finalizing a deal with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Terms of the contract weren't immediately reported. Swanson will immediately slot in as a key bat in a Cubs lineup that ranked 22nd in runs per game in MLB in 2022, while also bringing the club Gold Glove defense up the middle.
Beyond that, Swanson’s addition represents the most significant action yet in support of the Cubs’ goal of returning to contention after two uninspiring, losing seasons.
Swanson, who will turn 29 in February, is coming off his first All-Star season in 2022 and had played his first seven MLB seasons in Atlanta. Swanson hit .277 with 25 homers, 96 RBIs and a .776 OPS while playing all 162 games for the Braves this past season. His 6.4 WAR in 2022 was the second-most among MLB shortstops, according to FanGraphs, trailing only the Mets’ Francisco Lindor.
Swanson has been remarkably durable in recent years, missing just two games across the past three seasons. For his career, Swanson is a .255 hitter with a .321 on-base percentage, a .738 OPS and a 95 OPS+.
The Diamondbacks selected Swanson at No. 1 overall in the 2015 MLB Draft before trading him to the Braves months later in the deal that sent right-hander Shelby Miller to Arizona.
Swanson had been a staple in the Braves’ lineup since 2016, and was a key part of their championship-winning team in 2021. With Swanson no longer in the fold in Atlanta, the Braves could turn to Vaughn Grissom at shortstop, who impressed as a 21-year-old rookie in 2022.
Swanson taking over at shortstop in Chicago will shift Nico Hoerner over to second base, giving the Cubs a strong middle infield tandem. Hoerner was a Gold Glove finalist at second base in 2020. He had an injury-plagued 2021 season before playing shortstop in 133 games for the Cubs in 2022.
The Cubs are coming off a 74-88 season in 2022 and have been active in free agency, previously adding first baseman Cody Bellinger on a one-year, $17.5-million deal and right-hander Jameson Taillon on a four-year, $68-million contract. They still have holes at third base and first base, as Bellinger is expected to primarily play center field.
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