Dansby Swanson Says He 'Wasn't Sure' Signing Contract with Cubs Was Right Call

Dansby Swanson signed a seven-year, $177 million contract with the Chicago Cubs in free agency this winter, but it was by no means an easy decision for the veteran shortstop.

While many believed Chicago made sense as a destination for the former Atlanta Brave because his wife, Mallory Swanson, plays for the National Women's Soccer League's Chicago Red Stars, he told reporters otherwise.

"No," Swanson said in response to a question asking if the Cubs always made sense, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. "Truth be told, I wanted to win. I wasn't sure this was the place."

"That's all that really matters. I don't play for personal glory," Swanson added. "It's all about building something that's bigger than you. It's about the legacy of the team."

Swanson ultimately decided that Chicago was the "perfect place" to build a legacy.

"It's a gut feeling," he said. "it's hard to explain."

It's not necessarily surprising that Swanson said he wasn't initially sold on the Cubs.

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos told The Athletic's Jeff Schultz in December that the Georgia native "made every effort to find a way to stay in Atlanta" this offseason, adding that he "was willing to take a lot less" to remain with the franchise.

Anthopoulos added that the gap between Swanson's reported $140 million counterproposal and Chicago's $177 million offer "was too great."

However, during his introductory press conference with the Cubs in December, Swanson said the memories of his late grandfather influenced his decision to sign with Chicago:

"So every day when I would come home from school, I would run up to his house, I'd run in, and pretty much demand that he come outside and hit me ground balls, which he would always do. Every time I'd walk in, he'd have a Cubs game on, back when it was on WGN. I was always like 'Pops, we're in Atlanta, dude, we're Braves fans.'

"He loved baseball so much and all he ever wanted me to [do] was doing what I'm doing now."

Swanson spent the first seven years of his career with his hometown Braves, where he emerged as one of the best shortstops in baseball. He was part of an immaculate free-agent shortstop class this winter that also included Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Trea Turner.

The 29-year-old earned an All-Star selection, Gold Glove and a World Series title during his tenure with the Braves and is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he finished 12th in National League MVP voting after hitting.277/.329/.447 with 25 home runs and 96 RBI in 162 games.

Now in Chicago, Swanson will be aiming to bring another World Series title back to the Cubs, which haven't won since Kris Bryant, Javier Báez, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber combined to help the franchise lift the Commissioner's Trophy in 2016.