Executives have bold sleeper pick for where Dansby Swanson will land

One surprising NL Central team has been picked by executives to land Dansby Swanson.

The talk around Dansby Swanson thus far has been mostly centered speculatively on the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. On Sunday morning, we learned what the Braves have offered Swanson to start (an offer that is well below what he’s seeking in the open market).

The Cubs have been connected to Swanson because they could use any of the star shortstops available, including Swanson, and because his fiancée Mallory Pugh plays for the Chicago Red Stars. A loose connection, but a connection nonetheless.

The Cubs are more likely to target Carlos Correa or, as we’ve learned, Xander Bogaerts, though.

And a surprising NL Central team is actually more of a favorite to secure Swanson according to a new report from Bob Nightengale.

Bob Nightengale reports St. Louis Cardinals are executives’ favorite to land Dansby Swanson if not Braves

Out of nowhere, the St. Louis Cardinals emerge as a Dansby Swanson favorite according to league executives. Here’s what Bob Nightengale said in his column on Sunday morning to preview the Winter Meetings:

"“Swanson is the fallback plan for several of the teams vying for Turner, Bogaerts and Correa, with the Atlanta Braves still making him their top priority. They have offered about $100 million to keep Swanson, but he is seeking at least $140 million, and neither side has budged. If Swanson doesn’t return, executives predict that he could wind up with the St. Louis Cardinals.”"

Let’s be very clear, this seems to tee up the Braves as the actual favorite for the shortstop. But in the event he and the hometown team don’t agree to a contract, the Cardinals are the prediction from those in the know on where he could land.

That’s a shocker, but in truth, something we won’t see come to fruition. If I had to guess, Swanson is sticking to his Georgia roots, but that’s purely speculative.

It may come down to whether or not Swanson is willing to take a hometown discount or if the Braves are happy to pay him what he’s worth.

The Winter Meetings are going to be hot enough this year to melt all the snow.