Ranking the 4 major shortstop contracts given out this offseason

No. 3: Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs: seven years, $177 million

I want to make one thing clear: I really like the Cubs signing Swanson. I just happen to like the Turner and Correa deals more.

Swanson, 28, is durable. He’s played at least 160 games in the last two seasons (he played in all 162 games in 2022). He’s coming off the best offensive season of his career, hitting .277/.329/.447 with 25 home runs and 96 RBI. And finally, he fills the Cubs’ long-term shortstop hole, something the organization had been searching for in recent offseasons, and paired with Nico Hoerner, gives them arguably the best defensive middle infield in baseball.

$177 million for Swanson is good value. He had other opportunities, including with the Minnesota Twins, but elected to be in Chicago and near his wife, Mallory Pugh, who is a professional soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars of the NSWL. His former team, the Atlanta Braves, made an offer to retain Swanson, but came up well short of what he eventually agreed to with the Cubs.

It’s a smart signing for the Cubs. It didn’t break the bank and, as first reported by FanSided, pays Swanson only $13 million in 2023, giving the front office room to make additional moves. But the Swanson deal shows that the team is serious about winning — and that could certainly help recruit other free agents to Chicago.