Soon-to-be parent Swanson already playing with dad strength

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NEW YORK -- Dansby Swanson's dad strength is going to be incredible if this is his soon-to-be-dad strength.

Swanson and his wife, soccer star Mallory Swanson, are expecting their first child. And now Dansby is starting to slug home runs.

The sports power couple announced Mallory's pregnancy on Instagram on Wednesday. Both of them felt like the time was right. A few days later -- during Mother's Day weekend, no less -- Swanson belted a long home run to power the Cubs to a win over the Mets at Citi Field on Saturday.

So it's been quite the week for the Cubs' star shortstop.

"It's just been such a cool week. It really has been," Swanson said on Mother's Day. "It's really, really been a blessing and a treat to be able to be showered with love from other people, and just be able to share our joy with other people."

Swanson, who of course has known the news for a little longer than the public has, is starting to heat up around the announcement. He's hit four homers in his last dozen games and is batting .415 over this stretch.

Dansby might be an All-Star shortstop, but Mallory has won a World Cup and an Olympic gold with the U.S. Women's National Team, in addition to playing forward for Chicago Stars FC in the National Women's Soccer League.

Both of them have been getting a huge outpouring of support since the announcement.

"We've just been blessed with so many good people in our lives, whether it's friends or family, our teammates, all different people," Swanson said. "For both of us, there's been so much love and goodness being thrown our way. We definitely can feel that, and we're very thankful for it."

With the Cubs on the road in New York, he's been thinking of Mallory while he's mashing homers. Especially on Mother's Day, with Mallory now a soon-to-be mom. They can celebrate with Dansby and the Cubs back in Chicago this week.

"She's already got mom instincts," Swanson said. "Being able to come back home to her is going to be more than enough for both of us."