ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 14: Nico Hoerner #2 of the Chicago Cubs in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning at Truist Park on May 14, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images)
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The Chicago Cubs took a major step forward last season by reaching the playoffs and ending a four-year playoff drought. Now, as their offseason unfolds, it’s clear they want to continue that momentum.
The Cubs just lost star outfielder Kyle Tucker to a mega contract from the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the team had prepared its roster for that loss by bringing in veteran infielder Alex Bregman.
Bregman is a three-time All-Star and revered clubhouse leader who makes the Cubs’ infield one of the strongest in all of baseball. But the addition instantly raised the possibility that another Cubs player will be dealt elsewhere.
Chicago Cubs Could Replace Nico Hoerner With $175 Million Star
“After signing All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract, the Cubs continue to field inbound trade inquiries about their potential surplus of infielders, leaving Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw in somewhat unsettled positions,” Patrick Mooney reported for The Athletic. “With Bregman taking over at third base, the Cubs could theoretically move Shaw to second base and use Hoerner as a trade chip to improve other areas of the roster and plan around his potential departure as a free agent.”
If the Cubs are interested in leveraging their infield surplus to address another need on the roster, Hoerner would certainly attract some compelling offers. He is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner who logged an impressive .297 batting average last year.
And during Bregman’s introductory press conference, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was asked directly about the possibility of trading Hoerner.
“So many of the great things I’ve said about Alex, I would say about Nico,” Hoyer responded, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. “He’s a guy that we drafted, we developed, we extended and I think the world of Nico.”
Chicago Cubs’ Alex Bregman Speaks Out About Nico Hoerner
When Bregman was asked about Hoerner following that public update from Hoyer, he offered a clear two-word response about his new teammate: “Plays hard,” Bregman said of Hoerner’s reputation, per Bastian.
“I’ve heard he’s amazing,” Bregman added, according to Bastian. “Shows up ready to play every single day. A guy that wants to win really badly. I’m looking forward to being his teammate.”
It sounds like Bregman is expecting to play alongside Hoerner with the Cubs, particularly after Hoyer praised him during the press conference. But if the team feels like they can address some other need, particularly with Bregman now fortifying the infield, it still appears possible that the front office would let him go, despite his excellent reputation.