Dansby Swanson needed only one game to understand how “Go, Cubs, Go” hits differently when the tune resonates at Wrigley Field while wearing the home pinstripes.
Swanson’s Chicago Cubs debut Thursday encompassed exactly what the organization expected in the all-around shortstop when they signed him to a seven-year, $177 million contract in the offseason. He became the first Cub to have three hits in his team debut since, fittingly, Nico Hoerner on Sept. 9, 2019. The duo teamed up to turn an inning-ending double play in the top of the third inning to help right-hander Marcus Stroman escape the bases-loaded jam.
Swanson also drove in a run, the Cubs’ first of the season, to spark a four-run third en route to a 4-0 opening-day win against the Milwaukee Brewers. A day that began with an early wake up and prayer ended with Swanson putting a rough offensive spring performance behind him to lead the Cubs to a complete win in front of contingent of supporters that included his parents and wife Mallory, whose Red Stars play their home debut Saturday.
“I’m really soaking up these moments and living in the present,” Swanson said. “Peace is only found in the right now. I couldn’t be more grateful to be here. I keep saying that over and over again. This is just the truth.”
Swanson’s path to the Cubs culminated a long year of uncertainty, a journey he discussed with the Tribune before the season. His career transition to the Cubs and getting married shortly before making a free-agency decision add to adjusting to his first time in about seven years leaving his home in Georgia.
“It’s actually been pretty challenging, like, I can’t even lie about that,” Swanson said. “I’ve been home and been very comfortable. And now that I’m out of that it’s in a way like having to rediscover myself and having battled with a lot of anxiety and things of that nature. … Everything has been great (with the organization), but it’s still hard personally.
“Just battling through all the newness and working to find my footing and my confidence and what makes M, like, why I was brought here.”
The money the Cubs offered, a contract that is the second largest in franchise history, would in theory make Swanson’s free-agent decision easy once he and Mallory saw their level of commitment.
“Our criteria for making our decision was way more than just, all right, what’s the highest bidder and that’s what we’re doing,” Swanson said. “I mean, I’ve never allowed money to dictate my life whatsoever. … My decision was based off where I felt led to be.”
Faith is deeply intertwined in the Swansons approach and outlook on life. They spent the full year leading up to his free agency praying on the looming decision. Before the Cubs and Swanson’s camp exchanged contract figures, he was starting to feel led to Chicago, which Swanson says was “really, really, really, hard for me to swallow.”
Swanson remembers spending one night to himself on the back patio of their home. He built a fire and spent most of the night reflecting and praying. When he woke up the next morning, Swanson was convicted that Chicago was the right fit.
“It was like the last bit of more or less my flesh desiring to stay in Atlanta,” Swanson said. “I went to bed all in my feels about staying. … Before the contract stuff was even being thrown around, Chicago went from not the first choice to the first choice and people just don’t know that.
“I’m convicted in who God’s made me to be. That is where the work is done and why I believe I’m so open. … It’s my truth and so why would I not share what I believe. And that’s kind of how I look at life.”
Swanson’s baseball value exists outside of the All-Star and Gold Glove-worthy numbers. Durability has become a trademark of his game. He played in all but one game the last three seasons with the Atlanta Braves, a stretch that included three division titles and a World Series championship in 2021. Between the regular season and playoffs, Swanson started a whopping 414 games in that stretch at a premium defensive position.
His ability to stay on the field is the byproduct from shifting his focus after his injury-affected 2018 and 2019 seasons to a mindset of there’s nothing anyone could do to take him out of the lineup. Swanson had an epiphany that the intensity of his offseason workouts weren’t sustainable. As he evaluated his career, he saw inconsistencies from month to month, alternating between a good and terrible month.
So he lessened how much weight he lifted to better sustain his body and workload through a season thanks to a program his trainer developed. Swanson tries to lift every second game of every series, viewing it as “putting pennies in the piggy bank” and trusting the payoff will follow. It ties in with his work with massage therapists and nutritionists who all help him to stay focused on playing.
Whether he’s at 70% or 100%, Swanson expects to see his name on the lineup card. He credits a lot of that mentality from former teammate and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman.
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“You show up and play,” Swanson said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re completely lost, your presence and your ability is what we need on the field. … I try to instill that in guys too: Do everything you can to take care of your body but don’t do it so much that you get stressed about it. At the end of the day, it’s simple: I show up and play, and that’s that.”
The Cubs don’t sound eager to play Swanson every game. They want him to stay fresh and believe strategic off days will benefit him in the long run, though, President Jed Hoyer anticipates Swanson will object when that decision arrives.
“I’d love to see him play a little less than that (162 games) … but I do love the mentality,” Hoyer said Thursday. “Hopefully (manager David Ross) can have some arguments for those guys along the way to get them out of the lineup a little more often.”
Swanson’s focus revolves on one element: “Make everything about winning. We’re not here to have fun. I hate that. I’m not here to have fun, I’m here to win. Winning’s fun.”
Swanson wants that mentality to permeate in the clubhouse culture and sees other guys wired that way. Ultimately the Cubs must deliver on the field with Swanson near the center of their success.
As he reflects on his path to the Cubs, Swanson invokes words Mallory always says: What decision is going to stretch your faith? What decision is going to make you trust in God’s plan more?
“And here I am. I don’t know what the seven years have in store, but I know that it’s going to be amazing.”
