Two of Chicago’s most prominent athletes have announced the expected birth of their first child.
U.S. women’s national team forward Mallory Swanson and her husband, Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby, announced the pregnancy on Instagram, with Mallory captioning a series of studio photos, ‘Our greatest blessing.’
Dansby responded online, writing: ‘I love you.’
Mallory, 27, was on the U.S. team that won the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and the gold medal at last summer’s Paris Olympics. She scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over Brazil in the Olympic final for the gold medal.
Mallory has not played this season for her club team, the Chicago Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. She’s been excused for personal reasons.
Dansby, 31, is a two-time All-Star. He won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves in 2021 and won back-to-back Gold Glove awards in 2022 and 2023.
U.S. women’s national team forward Mallory Swanson and her husband, Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby, announced the pregnancy on Instagram
Dansby Swanson #7 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates with his wife, Mallory Swanson, after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 at Wrigley Field on March 30, 2023
And Mallory (née Pugh) isn’t the only pregnant member last summer’s Olympic team. Her teammate Sophia Wilson is also expecting her first child with husband Michael Wilson, a wide receiver for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.
The Swansons were introduced by Dansby’s former Atlanta Braves teammate, Jace Peterson, who is the husband of Mallory’s older sister, former Oregon soccer star, Brianna Pugh. They began dating in 2017 and were married in 2022, while regularly appearing at each other’s games.
Over that time, Dansby won a World Series with the Braves before leaving the club he grew up rooting for in Georgia for a seven-year, $177 million deal in Chicago, where Mallory was already playing at the time.
The two-time All-Star has struggled somewhat in 2025, hitting just .236 with a .288 on-base percentage, but he’s remained strong at shortstop, where he’s already won a pair of Gold Gloves. Besides, the Cubs are currently in first at 22-16 entering this weekend’s series with the New York Mets in Queens.
Dansby has been known to give small shotouts to Mallory at MLB games. A year ago, he went through batting practice wearing a t-shirt reading ‘Mallory Swanson Is Good At Soccer.’
