Who managed to sign Dansby Swanson and what kind of deal has he done?

All four of the elite-level shortstops who hit the market this free agency period have now found new homes, with the reports by ESPN that Dansby Swanson has come to an agreement with the Chicago Cubs for a seven-year deal worth $177 million.

The first of the Fantastic Four to find a home was Trea Turner, who jumped ship from the Dodgers to the Phillies, followed by Xander Bogaerts who surprised many when he left the Red Sox for the Padres. The San Francisco giants snapped up Carlos Correa and with the move by Swanson from Atlanta to Chicago, the biggest middle infield shuffle in recent memory has come to a close.

While the details of Swanson’s deal with the Cubs are not yet fully known, reports are that it is for seven years and contains a full no-trade clause, meaning that Swanson should be in Chi-Town for a big chunk of his productive years.

Nico Hoerner will slide over to second base and together with Swanson should provide a middle infield that is almost impenetrable for the Cubs.

Valued at $177 million, Swanson’s annual value to Chicago is $25.3 million, although reports are not clear as to how much of that is guaranteed, or indeed a signing bonus.

Last season, Swanson slashed .277 / .329 / .776 for Atlanta and won a Gold Glove for his work at shortstop, both qualities that Chicago has been sorely missing, finishing as they did 74-88 on the season.

The Cubs have been one step behind the curve for a few seasons now, but with this key element in place, they should make the playoffs and give the Cardinals a strong push on the top of the NL Central. If they don’t, it wont be because of their hitting or fielding.