Dansby Swanson reveals personal tie to Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs officially introduced shortstop Dansby Swanson on Wednesday afternoon after the team agreed to terms on a 7-year deal with Swanson worth $177MM. Over the course of Swanson's free agency, the idea of signing with the Cubs was believed to be a strong possibility because his wife, Mallory Pugh, plays for the Chicago Red Stars Soccer Club. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Swanson revealed that he had an even more personal tie to the Cubs' organization.

There is no question that Swanson immediately became the face of the Cubs' franchise with his introduction on Wednesday. Outside of the personal connection that Swanson has to the Cubs, the shortstop was sold on the vision for the team that was shared by general manager Carter Hawkins.

The overwhelming theme from Swanson's press conference on Wednesday was that he was sold on the Cubs' vision for how they plan to win at the Major League level. Over the past year, there have been questions as to what exactly the Cubs' plan is. Swanson choosing the Cubs because of the plan they shared certainly should ease some uncertainty surrounding the direction that the team is headed in.

Swanson is now with the Cubs for the next seven years and Jon Heyman of the New York Post shared the contract breakdown while the press conference was occurring.

There is no question that the Swanson signing will draw comparisons to the Jon Lester signing prior to the 2015 season. Lester chose the Cubs based on the vision that the front office shared with him. While it seems unlikely that the 2023 Cubs will have the same fate as the 2015 Cubs, there is no question that Swanson's signing puts them on the path in the right direction.