The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a 7-year, $177 million deal with free agent shortstop Dansby Swanson, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
The deal includes a full no-trade clause, a source told ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel.
Swanson, 28, immediately becomes one of the key faces for the Cubs’ rebuilding effort as he arrives in Chicago as a reining Gold Glove winner with a World Series ring to his credit.
He hit .277 with a .776 OPS for the Atlanta Braves last year while playing 162 games. He played in 160 games in 2021, helping the Braves to a World Series championship. He’s a career .255 hitter with 102 home runs over seven seasons. Fifty two of those homers came over the last two years.
Swanson’s career OBP, however, is just .321 as he walked only 49 times while striking out a career-high 182 times in 2022.
He’ll take over shortstop for the Cubs while Nico Hoerner moves back to second base, where he was a Gold Glove finalist in 2020. The team also signed former gold glove winner Cody Bellinger to play centerfield, giving them a solid defender at that key position as well.
The Cubs have been under pressure to improve a 74-win team but hadn’t signed a big name free agent in several seasons. The $177 million deal is the largest given out by the Cubs since outfielder Jason Heyward agreed to an 8-year, $184 million contract in 2016.
Swanson was the last of the four star free agent shortstops to sign. The position earned over $1 billion in free agency this winter just from Carlos Correa ($350 million), Trea Turner ($300 million), Xander Bogaerts ($280 million) and Swanson ($177 million) alone.
The move shores up the Cubs defense but doesn’t fix all their offensive issues. The team is in need of left handed power, as well as a new catcher, after not re-signing Willson Contreras. Prospect Matt Mervis is expected to get a chance at first base next season while the Cubs are still likely to trade or sign a veteran first baseman — and another catcher. Yan Gomes is a veteran holdover from last season but isn’t an everyday player.
The Cubs are also still looking into the free agent pitching market but can check off a big offseason box: Bringing a star caliber player to the team.
Swanson will join wife Mallory Pugh in Chicago as she plays for the Chicago Red Stars, the women’s professional soccer team.