Dansby Swanson is having a career year just in time to test the free-agent market, but the Marietta native hopes that leads to a long-term contract that allows him to remains with the Atlanta Braves.
Still, it's a cutthroat business. Swanson saw what happened to his former teammate Freddie Freeman last offseason, and seems to be in a pretty good place regarding his uncertain future.
"The easiest way I can say it is, from the conversations we've had, they want me here and this is my home -- I want to be here," Swanson told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
"One would think [that would lead to a deal], right? But we've seen crazy things happen before. I've really gotten to a point of just surrendering that over. This is my home. But wherever the good Lord is going to put me is where I'm supposed to be. I've come to terms with that."
Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported last week that the Braves and Swanson had "opened extension talks." Interestingly, Swanson's agent is Casey Close of Excel Sports Management. Close, of course, also represents Freeman, who had a rather shocking exit from Atlanta last offseason as he pursued a market value contract. Heyman, though, heard that "there's been less whispered negativity about these talks."
Swanson played in the All-Star Game for the first time earlier this summer, and is slashing .291/.346/.450 with 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, six defensive runs saved, 14 outs above average and a 5.2 fWAR. He's gone from being a fringe top-10 shortstop to performing like a legitimate star in his age-28 season.
The former No. 1 overall pick will be joining a crowded free-agent shortstop class, which could also include Trea Turner, Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts. That may actually play into his favor if he's not seeking as lucrative of a deal as any of that trio would be.
There is a reality here, pretty much every notable long-term deal Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves have done has been team-friendly. Go down the list: Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Michael Harris II have all signed for much less than they would have received on the open market. Freeman and Josh Donaldson held out for fair market contracts and the Braves pivoted. With that knowledge, it will be interesting to see how Swanson operates this winter.
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