By Ronald Hughes, The Chicago Times
December 23, 2022
CHICAGO – Free agent Dansby Swanson has signed a $177 million seven-year contract on Wednesday with the Chicago Cubs as their starting shortstop.
Swanson’s contract includes a $7 million signing bonus, full no-trade clause, and a hotel suite on road trips. The $177 million salary will be spread out over the length of the contract starting with $13 million in 2023 and ending with $25 million in 2029.
The Cubs went 74-88 this year and finished third in the NL Central, but went 40-31 in its last 71 games. Jed Hoyer believes the Cubs’ strong finish, its pitching and hitting infrastructure, and farm teams will help build the franchise into a powerhouse.
In 2015, Swanson was selected by Arizona with the No. 1 overall pick but was later traded to the Atlanta Braves in 2015. Swanson, along with a core group of young players, led the Braves back to the top of the NL East. Swanson batted .248 with 27 homers and 88 RBIs in 2021, helping lead the Braves to its first World Series championship since 1995.
If Swanson is so good, why did the Braves let him go? The answer is they are too cheap and failed to secure Swanson with a $20 million qualifying offer which opened the door for Swanson signing with the Cubs.
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