"If it doesn't happen, does that really make it a failure?" - Cubs' star Dansby Swanson weighs in on team's quiet off season

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson spoke to The Athletic recently and said that the team's relatively quiet offseason this winter does not necessarily mean that it has been a failure for them. The 30-year-old signed a seven-year, $177 million contract with the Chicago side as a free agent ahead of last season and had an impressive year.

The Cubs went into the offseason with needs and they haven't filled those yet, inviting numerous concerns from fans and analysts as we head into Spring Training.

Dansby Swanson was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2015 MLB draft and was traded to the Atlanta Braves at the end of the year. He went on to make his major league debut with the Braves in 2016 and won the World Series title with them in 2021. In the last two seasons, he has won two Golden Glove awards and made two All-Star appearances.

After a big-money move to the Cubs last year, Swanson has delivered in his first season in Chicago. He is one of the most promising young players in a strong roster. However, while they have added some arms in pitching, the Cubs are seriously lacking in offense and have not landed any of the players they pursued. While they are still linked to Bellinger and several other names, it has been a quiet offseason so far.

When asked about it in a recent interview, Swanson dismissed concerns but was not entirely convincing:

"Expectations are so hard. When it's based all around one thing, if it doesn't happen, does that really make it a failure?"

Dansby Swanson takes batting practice with fellow Cubs Golden Glove winners

Spring Training is well underway for the Chicago Cubs and shortstop Dansby Swanson has been in the thick of it as he prepares for another MLB season.

On Tuesday, he was spotted taking batting practice with last season's two other Golden Glove winners in the team, Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ. The three stars were seen having constant discussions as they took turns in the cage.