Freddie Freeman Shares Thoughts on Swanson and His Fit With the Chicago Cubs

Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman gives his honest opinion on Swanson and how his former teammate fits in with the Chicago Cubs.

Kade Kistner | Mar 9, 2023

Freddie Freeman Shares Thoughts on Swanson and His Fit With the Chicago Cubs /

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman and new Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson go way back. The two were teammates when they both played for the Atlanta Braves. Both were seen as staples of the franchise, pillars of the clubhouse, and then both left in free agency in back-to-back offseasons.

Still, the two remain very close. They are good friends, their wives are close, and the two still get dinner together. If there is one person who knows Swanson inside and out in this game it's Freeman.

That's why he knows exactly how Swanson will fare in Chicago.

Speaking with The Athletic's Patrick Mooney, Freeman described Swanson and his fit with a storied franchise like the Cubs.

“But he’s got a really good head on his shoulders. He’s got a good team around him, people who have been through it. He’s going to be just fine. He’ll take to Chicago very nicely. Mal’s already been there for a few years playing, so they’re going to be feet on the ground, settled already. Everything’s going to be just fine.”

His wife Mallory, a star player for the women's soccer club Chicago Red Stars, was one of the reasons that Swanson was always rumored to sign with the Cubs. But, it's more than that as Swanson has described.

Between the history of the club, the upward trend, and even some familial ties, Swanson just saw Chicago as a good fit.

He wants to win World Series championships and leave behind a lasting legacy.

“All he knows how to do is win,” Freeman said. “He cares about the game. He wants people to be good around him. He brings playing every day. You can have five tools, but those five tools don’t mean a thing if you don’t have that sixth tool, which is grinding every single day. That’s what he does, no matter how he feels. Being a shortstop and playing 162 games, that’s special.”

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Published Mar 9, 2023

KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Cubs. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.