The Cubs are among the teams with interest in shortstop Dansby Swanson, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link). Chicago has been known to have interest in the free agent shortstop market, though Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts were the shortstops more linked to the Cubs.
Still, with so many other teams keen on landing a top-tier shortstop, it isn’t surprising that the Cubs have at least considered every member of the “big four” — Swanson, Bogaerts, Correa, and Trea Turner. Bogaerts and Correa have stood out from the pack since the Cubs have reportedly had interest in Correa for years, while Bogaerts’ ties to Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer string back to Hoyer’s days in the Red Sox organization.
That said, Swanson naturally has plenty of appeal to any team looking for an upgrade at shortstop. The former first overall pick is coming off the best of his seven MLB seasons, as Swanson had a career-high 6.4 fWAR over 696 plate appearances and the full 162 games with the Braves. Swanson’s contributions came on both offense (.277/.329/.447 with 25 homers and 18 steals) and defense, with his first career Gold Glove and a range of above-average marks from public defensive metrics.
Swanson turns 29 in February, so he is still young enough to be a long-term piece for a Cubs team that might have a few too many roster holes to be a full-fledged contender in 2023, though it depends on how aggressive Chicago plans to be this winter. Like Bogaerts and Turner, Swanson comes at the extra price of draft pick compensation, since all of these three shortstops rejected a qualifying offer (Correa was ineligible for a QO after receiving one last winter). Swanson is the second-youngest of the big four shortstops, though he is generally seen as the member of the group who has the smallest price tag, comparatively speaking. MLBTR projected him for a seven-year, $154MM deal, which still ranks fifth on our top 50 free agents list — Swanson was ranked behind only Aaron Judge and the other three shortstops.
It stands to reason that pretty much every team (i.e. the Phillies, Giants, Orioles, Padres, Red Sox) looking into any of the top shortstops might have some interest in other members of the group, a la the Cubs. That said, the Braves have been the only team known to have a direct interest in Swanson himself, and if Swanson did sign elsewhere, Atlanta isn’t likely to look to Correa, Turner, or Bogaerts as a replacement.
No they are NOT!
Yes they ARE! And so are the Blue Jays of Toronto, Canada. We will sign Dansby Swanson, move Bo Bichette to 2B and win a World Series. That’s the plan, and it will be executed.
That is quite a plan
you clearly forgetting about the biggest offseason prize, Ozuna. That is who the Jays need to win WS.
I thought the biggest off-season prize was your mom’s thicc dumper.
Beans, are you in middle school?
No, I’m not. Does that make me too old for you?
No. Just too immature.
Come on Brony, friendship is magic.
I’d be down to grab coffee (I’ll pay) and discuss TradeAcuna/bumgarnerNLCS’s mother’s seven layer cake of a dump truck, or his weird crush on Dansby Swanson.
I would bet against him going to Toronto. I just don’t see that one happening
Agreed..Swanny is whooped off his girl.
I believe if Swanson was coming back to Atlanta he would have already signed. I think Swanson priced himself out of the Braves comfortable level with his 2022 season.
I think Swanson ends up in Los Angeles as he is such good friends with the Freeman family and the dodgers have a shortstop need.
This ain’t elementary school so Who he is friends with means nothing. It’s whoever give him the money.
Lol agreed it’s not elementary school. Freeman will have 0 influence in this.
I expect Swanson to wait though. He didn’t hit the open market just to resign with Atlanta right out of the gate. And there’s too many players at his position that will command higher interest first for a lot of teams. So my guess is Swanson will wait to see what the interest looks like after Turner, Correa, and Bogaerts all sign. Or at least I think we’ll see two out of that group sign before he does.
From there Swanson will probably have to realistically evaluate whether there are better offers than Atlanta out there. If he’s learned anything from Freeman though, he’ll stay involved in the negotiating and make sure he has all of the info before making a decision. That was the mistake Freeman made. The money was there for him, but his agents thought they could pull a fast one and extort the Braves for more. Sucks it worked that way, because Braves could have used Freeman last year and you know that’s where his heart really wanted to be.
Hardly anyone signed yet. He has plenty of time to go back to Atl.
a lot of top players have been associated with a lot of teams. Hey, I can do that. I can float names and teams they “might sign” or “have interest in”. The Cubs are still rebuilding. At some point a team in that situation feel they have a stable team that they can start adding FA. I don’t know if the cubs are there yet but I would be surprised if they signed someone like Swanson.
But what if it IS elementary school?
And lil Trea wants to sit at Bryce’s table, with Kyle, Nick and JT…..?
@cpdpoet exactly bro, some people just wanna sit at the cool lunch table, nothing wrong with that. Lol
You’re right Von and that what I expect. As a Cubs fan who always sees the team mentioned among all the big tixket guys and rarely come away with any, I’ll believe they sign a SS when I see it. Damsby is the one Ii would pick last if I could have my choice of the 4.
Sorry – didn’t mean to send it yet. Hopefully my comment still makes sense…?
They still let Nick sit there?
Since we’re on the topic, I’m pretty sure JT is looking for the first opportunity to get up and away from that table.
Guy has an attitude for miles….so he fits….and after taking over clapping erasers for the table…..it all worked out.
That is pretty much what I’m thinking also.
I highly doubt Swanson resigns with the Braves, so I’m thinking he’s likely going to either the Cubs or the Dodgers.
Personally, I think the Dodgers would rather take on XB, but I think Dansby will likely command the least amount of money out of the top tier free agent shortstops.
No way the are chasing him. It would have made more sense to just keep Baez. He has a much higher ceiling. Cubs won’t be making any big moves until they finish paying off the dead weight of Jason Heyward. He might have been released but they still have to pay him next year.
Please sign him so the Phillies dont.
I’m not sure how I would feel about the Cubs signing Swanson… very low floor with his high strike out and low walk rate.
I’d say he has a high floor because of his defense and his durability.
Right… Baez has the same floor but with better defense and I wouldn’t want him back
Also, Swanson has been decent but not an elite defender until this year..
Baez has been declining defensively for a long time. He’s not as good as Swanson.
I was originally torn on Cubs signing him. I’ve come around. The speed on bases is going to be more important this year with new rules. So his stolen base numbers can really help. Great defense. We need that. Will come at a cheaper price tag so we can spend in other places. I’d love to get J Turner to play 3B and then Nimmo. Can still afford Rodon that way as well.
“I’m not sure how I would feel about the Cubs signing Swanson… very low floor with his high strike out and low walk rate”
Why are you analyzing an all-star WS champion like he’s a 23 year old prospect?
Completely insane to write this knowing Javier Baez got 6/140.
I swear this current crop of miserable posters who suddenly hate all good baseball players and talk them all down as if they are scrubs, when Swanson pushed 6 WAR last year alone, is going to make me so miserable. Stop doing this dumb narrative. Stop pocket watching MLB team owners wallets – every MLB team owner can afford like 10 FAs a year, but they lie about being poor. You defend them, because you are bad at baseball analysis.
JT will land on Chicago’s North side. Thor too. Probably sign an older outfielder to a short term deal. Maybe KK.
Not getting Nimmo or Swanson.
show interest in all, creates leverage when you make an offer
Yes; showing interest I think is something agents leak to drive the price of the player up. Teams leak it to show fans that they have been trying. A lot of leaks never prove to come true.
Then there are teams like Atlanta where nothing ever leaks out and suddenly they are signing or trading for players. Without anyone having reported the interest.
Once the first top tier shortstop signs it will be a domino affect and others will sign behind them.
The Cubs can forget about him
He is going to the Orioles
So they’re going to sign a player to a big contract that isn’t a position of need? Don’t think so
I think his fiancé (or wife now?) plays in Chicago, maybe that helps?
Dansby’s fiance Mallory Pugh plays for the Chicago Red Stars. The Red Stars season pretty much runs during the MLB season, so if Dansby were a Cub, it would get them an opportunity to live in the same city and see each other if both have home games.
Meh. They could. They can afford it. But he’d be wasted on their current roster make up. But if he just wants the money and they just want that one off season splash- it’s a match made in optics/financial dreams.
How “interested” are they?
It’s from Morosi, so it’s legit. Kind of like my interest in a snack….right about now.
Clip, you are talking solid, BONAFIDE interest!!! Haha Akin to my interest in starting dinner within the next 60-180 mins..
Enjoy your Turkey Pepperoni Clip!!
What does Clipper like to snack on, may I ask?
Turkey Pepperoni…
I thought you had me muted for a while Clip…Couldn’t find any of your posts. I almost threw my dinner in the trash and cancelled my subscription.
That cut me deep , Trumbo. Deep.
I’d never, ever, almost never mute you.
Alright alright….Lets start over…clean slate….Deal?
Sorry, had you on mute, try again?
Ahhhh Clip!!! I thought you maybe did it on accident..While liking a post or something. I was stymied haha. I’ll do anything I swear!!! Truce? Bygones? Clip? Buddy? Haha
You crack me up, man – haha!
Yanks are retaining Judge my friend, don’t you worry…Got a feeling!
Clip, what kind of deal you got the Yanks giving Rodon? I know you believe in the guy. I have yet to see him pitch much..
That’s the thing. Cubs are always “interested” but it don’t mean a thing until you sign on the dotted line.
I think the Diamondbacks are ready to make a large financial commitment to a shortstop. In years past it was a SP they made a splash with.
I know I predicted T. Turner and would love X, but the irony of signing Swanson is appealing .
It will be somebody though and it obviously won’t be expected.
Like Greinke , in years past, as example.
I wonder how well Dansby’s ATL brand clothing will sell in Chicago? Especially after any taste remaining in mouths regarding J-Hey? Sure it’ll go great!
Carlos Correa makes the most sense for the Cubs as the youngest of the foursome and the only one who isn’t tagged with a QO. Correa’s bat would also profile just fine at 3B if he needs to move off of shorstop as he ages. That said, Swanson is a fine fallback option and might allow the Cubs to spread their offseason free agent dollars further. Shortstop is hardly the only position of need for the Cubs and it’s been widely reported they are going hard after Japanese SP Kodai Senga.
Correa will be the Texas Rangers new third baseman. They have shortstops playing SS and 2B with huge contracts, why not add another SS to play 3B?
I don’t know. Why don’t you ask Corey Seager?
But Correa has repeatedly said he wants to sign with a winner and Cubs are still in a rebuild (that they should not be in, but that’s a story for another day). So they would need to overpay and that’s not Jed’s style. As much as I would love to see it, it isn’t going to happen Aaron.
The Cubs can turn it around quick if they choose to do so. They are 100 million below the luxury tax with no long term commitments. Another sixty million coming off after next season.
Imo, if I were the Cubs, guns blazing for Judge. I don’t care how much I have to pay and in short order, make a trade for Murphy. Those two moves give the Cubs enough legitimacy to go out and sign the next tier down for market value
I’m completely okay with Swanson leaving ATL, unlike Freeman. I think the Braves could use that money for a superstar level player or extend Fried.
They can sign Dansby, their clubhouse leader, and still extend Fried.
Can already see it, Yanks blow their wad on Judge, sign a mid range LF and reliever and call it quits.
Yep, Dansby is not signing with the Yanks.
Jed Hoyer’s most have an everlasting bond with Bogaerts from their time together in Boston. Boegarts signed with Boston in 2009 the same year Hoyer left for San Diego. I’m sure they’re besties forever lolol
Yeah 58, it’s a bit of a stretch.
Somebody has to pull the trigger first. Set the market, then they’ll be signed in the same week.
The long term/expensive position player part of the market is 100% waiting on Aaron Judge.
Feeling like my failure to switch to a Cubs prediction for Dansby is really gonna kill my chances of winning the contest.
It’s like winning a big poker tournament. A lotta luck involved.
I don’t know why everyone is pretending as if the Padres aren’t signing all four of the big Shortstops. It’s Preller’s thing. He’ll figure out where to actually play them later.
Turner is the only one of the four the Cubs should be interested in seeing he plays multiple positions and has top of the order speed and bat.
If Swanson wants to avoid playoff pressure which he surely felt this postseason, then he should definitely sign with the Cubs!
His wife plays professional soccer in Chicago. They should most definitely be favorites. A happy wife is a happy life.
A nine figure contract should make for a happy spouse – diamonds aren’t just on ball fields.
Watch her get traded.to another city.
So many premier shortstops out there this year that a case could be made for almost any of the shortstops going to almost any team.
Do it! Do it, you cowards!
-Braves Fans.
Dansby put up a hell of a walk year but I expect him to go back to slightly above average hitter next year. Unless dodgers sign him.
Cheap@$$ Cubs, 3rd in annual revenues and this is how they reward their fanbase.
Thanks, little brother.
Another team plays baseball in Chicago? Who knew?
Dude, quit acting like a little @%$#. The team you root for is playing you for a sucker. Man up.
Someone is going to give Swanson A LOT of money and they are probably going to regret it A LOT.
They are really pushing this ‘big four’.
I could see Dansby as the guy who over prices his market and is still available in March.
Why would Swanson want to go to a non contender like the Cubs? He will resign with the Braves before he does that.