Dansby Swanson and the Chicago Cubs are off to a scorching-hot start, and the All-Star shortstop got even more good news.
Swanson’s wife Mal announced the couple is expecting the couple’s first baby in an Instagram post shared Wednesday.
Despite the additional doctors appointments and stress for his wife, Swanson has still been able to play in every game for the Cubs this season putting up a respectable .737 OPS. He shares the team lead with 38 games played and has scored 27 runs for the team with the most runs scored in baseball (236) as of May 8.
Led by Swanson, who has batted fifth in their order in 27 of their 38 games, the Cubs are 22-16 and in first place in the National League Central. They hold a three-game lead over the Brewers, Cardinals and Reds, each of which is tied for second place.
Power couple
Like Swanson, Mal is a professional athlete. She previously was known as Mallory Pugh and has played for the local Chicago Stars of the NWSL since 2021.
She won an Olympic gold medal by pushing the United States to first place in the women’s soccer competition and was a member of the World Cup-champion U.S. team at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cub.
Mallory Swanson, who signed the richest contract in NWSL history on a five-year deal, has not played a game with the Stars this season for what the team called “personal reasons.” With the pregnancy announcement Wednesday, it seems likely that she will miss the entire Stars season.
Mallory, 27, has played 3,048 minutes for the Stars since she was traded there from Washington in 2021 and has 23 goals in 65 games over her four seasons there.
Mallory and Dansby have been married since Dec. 10, 2022. Since both are championship-level pro athletes — Dansby won the World Series as a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2021 — it is understandable that a fellow pro athlete, Mallory’s brother-in-law Jace Peterson, helped introduce the pair when Dansby was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Cubs Provide Cover
Mallory may not have to worry about competing this season, but the pressure only will ramp up for Dansby.
Luckily, the Cubs have had more than enough offense to cover if the pressure of preparing for a baby gets to Swanson.
Though Swanson is a large contributor, the Cubs offense has been smoldering hot this season. Outfielder Kyle Tucker, who Chicago acquired from the Astros in the off-season, is a bona fide NL MVP candidate, but he shares the team lead in home runs (9) with center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and DH Seiya Suzuki.
Swanson’s seven homers rank fifth on the team behind those three and catcher Carson Kelly, who has eight in just 86 plate appearances. Swanson’s 27 runs scored — which would lead NL playoff hopefuls like the Giants and Phillies — has him tied for 12th in the majors but in fourth place on the team, trailing Tucker (30), Crow-Armstrong (29) and left fielder Ian Happ (29).
Plus, it helps that Swanson is an elite defensive player. The two-time Gold Glove winner ranks third among all major-league shortstops in fielding percentage (.993) and has just one error this year. He is second among major-league shortstops in putouts (57), trailing only Francisco Lindor (68) of the New York Mets.