Gold Glover shortstop Dansby Swanson sheds light on his decision to leave the Atlanta Braves after seven seasons: “Things happen for a reason. I didn’t want to leave. I loved Atlanta. I still do"
When Dansby Swanson of the Atlanta Braves announced that he would not be returning to the Atlanta Braves for the 2023 season, he immediately became one of the hottest free agents on the market.
The Kennesaw, Georgia, native has been with the Braves since he was traded to the team by the Arizona Diamondbacks just months after they drafted him. It did not take long for the Vanderbilt alumnus to make a serious impression on the Braves' fanbase.
In his first season, 2016, he hit .302 with 3 home runs and 17 RBIs in 38 games. Each of Swanson's successive seasons with the Braves was better than his last. In 2021, he hit 27 home runs and 88 RBIs, along with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs in that year's World Series, helping the Braves win their first title in 26 years.
In October 2022, Dansby Swanson announced that he wouldn't be seeking an extension with the Braves, and instead opted for free agency. Two months later, Swanson inked a seven-year deal worth $177 million with the Chicago Cubs.
Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs https://t.co/CPo65bG4vB
"Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs" - @ Brendan Miller
In a recent feature on USA Today, baseball writer Bob Nightengale caught up with Swanson at the Cubs' Cactus League facility in Arizona. He wanted to know the main factors that led Swanson to leave behind his team.
Swanson spoke about the fact that he had built a life in Atlanta and wanted to stay, but he wasn't prepared to accept the terms that the Atlanta Braves wanted. Speaking to Nightengale, Swanson said:
“Things happen for a reason. I didn’t want to leave. I loved Atlanta. I still do. We accomplished a lot there, but I was pushing for even more."
The Braves were reportedly not budging a dime above their 6-year, $100 million offer.
Chicago Cub Dansby Swanson is addicted to winning https://t.co/N99pynbdMP
"Chicago Cub Dansby Swanson is addicted to winning" - @ Barstool Baseball
The 2022 offseason was one for the shortstops. Xander Bogaerts signed an 11-year deal worth $280 million with the San Diego Padres, while former NL batting champ Trea Turner inked an 11-year deal worth $300 million with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Mallory Pugh, a well-known US women's soccer star, married Swanson just before his Cubs contract was finalized. Pugh has played for the Chicago Red Stars since 2021, which was a major factor in Swanson's decision to sign with the Cubs.
Dansby Swanson is the latest star to undermine the Atlanta Braves management
Freddie Freeman, who is widely regarded as the best Braves player of the modern era, also departed the Braves in early 2022, citing "difficulties" between him and GM Alex Anthopoulos. With another high-profile departure in the form of Dansby Swanson, it doesn't exactly give a shining reflection on the Atlanta Braves' front office.