Where Swanson contract ranks among largest in Cubs history originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Cubs made a free agent splash on Saturday, landing former Braves shortstop and All-Star Dansby Swanson.
Swanson and the Cubs agreed to a seven-year, $177 million deal, a pact that runs through the 2029 season. It’s one of the largest contracts in Cubs history — both in terms of total value and average annual value.
Swanson is the fifth player in Cubs history to receive a $100+ million deal. Here is how his deal stacks up:
Largest contracts in Cubs history by total value
1. Jason Heyward: $184 million (eight years)
2. Dansby Swanson: $177 million (seven years)
3. Jon Lester: $155 million (six years)
4. Alfonso Soriano: $136 million (eight years)
5. Yu Darvish: $126 million (six years)
6. Seiya Suzuki: $99.6 million* (five years)
7. Carlos Zambrano: $91.5 million (five-year extension)
*Suzuki’s contract will pay him $85 million. His deal is worth $99.6 million total when including the posting fee that the Cubs paid his NPB club in Japan.
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Others include:
— Aramis Ramirez: Five-year, $75 million extension in 2006
— Sammy Sosa: Four-year, $72 million extension in 2001
— Marcus Stroman: Three-year, $71 million free agent deal signed last offseason
— Jameson Taillon: Four-year, $68 million free agent deal (agreed last week)
If you go by highest average annual value, Swanson’s deal still ranks second in Cubs history, but the rest of that list has a different look than the one above.
Largest average annual salaries in Cubs history
1. Jon Lester: $25.8 million
2. Dansby Swanson: $25.3 million
3. Marcus Stroman: $23.7 million
4. Jason Heyward: $23 million
5. Yu Darvish: $21 million
6. Kris Bryant* $19.5 million
7. Kris Bryant** $18.6 million
8. Carlos Zambrano: $18.3 million
9. Sammy Sosa: $18 million (extension signed in 2001)
*Bryant and the Cubs came to terms to avoid arbitration entering the 2021 season.
**Bryant and the Cubs came to terms to avoid arbitration entering the 2020 season. However, MLB salaries were ultimately prorated in the shortened 60-game campaign.
Beyond this group, Cole Hamels made $20 million in 2019. The Cubs acquired him before the 2018 trade deadline and later picked up his 2019 club option.
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