Report: Chicago Cubs Favorite to Land Dansby Swanson
In this story:
The Chicago Cubs have been consistently linked to the top free agent shortstops, and more fuel was added to the fire when the New York Post's Jon Heyman tabbed the Cubs as the favorite to sign former Atlanta Brave Dansby Swanson.
Heyman did not give a specific reason why he believed that Chicago was the current favorite, but did note that some in Atlanta are pessimistic about their chances of re-signing the Georgia native. The Cubs have long been linked to all four free-agent shortstops, which may explain why Heyman picked Chicago as the most likely landing spot.
Swanson is coming off of the best season of his career, finishing his 2022 campaign with an fWAR of 6.4, nearly double his previous career-high of 3.4. The righty had a career-high wRC+ of 116, hitting 25 home runs, the second-best mark of his career.
The 28-year-old is also one of the best defenders in baseball, finishing with 21 outs above average, second-best in baseball behind Jonathan Schoop. Signing Swanson would give the Cubs one of the best defensive middle infields in baseball assuming Hoerner is moved back to second base.
Swanson is not without some red flags, however, as the shortstop likely has the least amount of upside at the plate compared to the rest of the shortstop market, and his breakout came in a contract year after never posting more than 4 fWAR in a season. Still, the righty has the capability of being an impact bat and a premier defender on a Cubs team looking to get back into contention.
Heyman did not have the Cubs in the top two favorites for any of Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, or Xander Bogaerts, all of whom other insiders have speculated at different points that the team could be a major player for. It's still early in the offseason, and much can still change, but it does still appear that Chicago is heavily involved in the shortstop market.
More From SI's Inside The Cubs
- Could Mike Trout Request a Trade to the Chicago Cubs?
- Did David Robertson Net the Cubs a Future Star in Ben Brown?
- Hoerner is the Cubs Shortstop of the Future
- Cubs Could Give Canario a Shot in September
- Could the Cubs Land Trea Turner in the Offseason?
- Chicago Cubs Have a New Top Prospect in Their Rankings
- Is This Top Cubs Prospect Destined for the Mound at Wrigley?
- Steele Offers Glimpse Into Future of Cubs Rotation
- Do the Chicago Cubs Have the National League's Best Bullpen?
- Can Christopher Morel be a Long-Term Solution in Center Field?
Make sure to follow Inside the Cubs on Twitter!
