(Audacy) The Cubs got a facelift this offseason, one that was headlined by their signing of All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson to a seven-year, $177-million deal.
It's only a month into the regular season, but Swanson is already making his mark on the Cubs and becoming the face of the team, as 670 The Score afternoon host Matt Spiegel explained while on with WEEI's Rob Bradford on the Audacy Original Podcast "Baseball Isn't Boring."
“Dansby’s something else, man. Dansby’s just a dude who has always been a leader to an extent,” Spiegel said (36:36 in player above). “He said he led at Vanderbilt, I have no reason to doubt that. I think he led a bit in Atlanta even though they had Freddie Freeman and a bunch of other dudes. But now he’s been paid and anointed and told to be a leader, so he is feeling it. That guy is feeling it.
“Then he came out like a freaking house of fire at the plate. And just the way he plays defense and the whole thing. This is his team, man. This is his team and people are feeding off of him. It’s very, very clear.”
Swanson had hits in each of his first four games, including three hits in three of those contests. And he's much more than just what he brings to the plate.
“The guy plays 150 games every year," Spiegel said. "Dude is not flawless with the glove, but is just so remarkably trustworthy and smooth and solid. Great baserunner, been a better base stealer than expected. He’s a really solid player, and he’s got a little more flair and a little more swag than I had realized too. We’re spoiled with (Javier) Baez and Tim Anderson (in Chicago in past years), these guys who play with some flair, but Dansby’s got some of that, pushes the chest out, really feels it and enjoys himself.”
Swanson is batting .299 with three doubles in 20 games. He has yet to hit his first Cubs home run, but he only hit one before May 6 in 2022 and still ended the season with 25.
With the help of Swanson, the Cubs are off to a strong 12-9 start. They have an off day Monday before hosting the Padres on Tuesday evening at Wrigley Field. The game can be heard on 670 The Score, with pregame coverage starting at 6:05 p.m.
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