Dansby Swanson explains emotional connection to Cubs as he’s introduced

Star shortstop Dansby Swanson has officially joined the Chicago Cubs, and the move is more meaningful to him than most may realize.

The Atlanta Braves failed to lock down an extension for star shortstop Dansby Swanson, and the Chicago Cubs ultimately signed him to a seven-year deal worth $177 million. While it’s sad the Braves will begin a season without him, he shared a heartfelt connection to the Cubs that can’t help but make one excited for his new journey.

Swanson reminisced about his childhood and how his late grandfather would always watch the Cubs, his grandfather’s ‘second favorite team,’ when he’d come home from school. He described the move as being able to play for his grandfather’s two favorite teams, which is certainly heartwarming.

Chicago could certainly use Swanson, and it seems as though they’ll welcome him with open arms as he’ll likely become one of the best players for the Cubs. The special connection is bound to make Swanson’s experience much more meaningful, too.

Dansby Swanson could help the Cubs in development

The Cubs, unfortunately, have struggled to re-live the 2016 success that led them to a World Series win. The core of that team has broken up, and the roster gets turned over more and more each year. This offseason, Willson Contreras was the next to go, which definitely left a big hole in the roster.

There were many other issues present prior to Contreras’ departure, and they could stand to improve both offensively and defensively. Swanson is an above-average hitter, slashing .277/.329/.447 for an OPS of .776 over the 2022 regular season. He’s also a great defender coming off one of the best seasons of his career with his best wFB of 16.0, WPA of 1.66, OAA of 20 and WAR of 6.4.

While Dansby won’t be the answer to all of the problems on the team, he’ll certainly be a big step forward in creating a new championship team.