Hoerner’s Contract Extension Provides Stability For Cubs

As far as contracts go, Nico Hoerner’s new deal with the Cubs is no big deal. The three-year, $35 million extension could be viewed as just another transaction in the sports world.

But things feel differently when your franchise has failed to hang onto many of its best players because it wasn’t willing to go the extra mile financially. The Cubs’ history of tight-fisted decision-making goes back to the time they allowed Greg Maddux to leave for Atlanta and, more recently, has seen them trade or lose to free agency the core of the team that won the 2016 World Series.

Never mind that Hoerner hasn’t had the impact of Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. The 25-year-old middle infielder has been more of a supporting player than a star but that shouldn’t diminish how securing him has added to a growing sense of optimism around a franchise that began 2022 with a cloud hanging over it.

When the Cubs open the ’23 season on Thursday at Wrigley Field, fans will not only get their first look at shortstop Dansby Swanson in the home dugout but will also have certainty with their double-play combination. The Hoerner extension means he will play alongside Swanson, the reigning National League Gold Glover, through 2026.

This is the same kind of pairing the Cubs had in 1985-94 with Ryne Sandberg and Shawon Dunston, as well as in the Don Kessinger-Glenn Beckert years (65-73). If you want to go practically prehistoric you could rhapsodize about shortstop Joe Tinker and second baseman Johnny Evers, who were franchise fixtures at the West Side Grounds.

Hoerner is the perfect wing man for Swanson, the handsome shortstop the Cubs signed for $177 million over seven seasons after bigger-ticket free agents Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa had gone off the board. He starred at Stanford after Swanson’s run at Vanderbilt had ended and had barely turned 22 when Theo Epstein called him to the majors in 2019.

Injuries and the 2020 pandemic led to Hoerner playing only 112 games in his first three seasons but he used last season to demonstrate his skills. Replacing Baez as the primary shortstop, he excelled as a contact hitter — his slash line was .281/.327/.410 — while turning in a fielding performance worth +10 Defensive Runs Saved, per Fangraphs.

Hoerner immediately said he’d be fine moving back to second base to accommodate the Cubs’ pursuit of a high-impact shortstop. He signed a one-year deal for $2.525 million in January, avoiding arbitration, and had three seasons added on in the extension. It’s a security-over-ceiling deal for Hoerner, who sacrifices one year of free agency and two of arbitration, and the Cubs must be thrilled he said yes.

While Epstein departed before the financial business got too sticky, he and the current President of Baseball Operations, Jed Hoyer, had not signed a long-term deal with a homegrown player since Kyle Hendricks’ four-year, $55.5 million deal in 2019. This is the kind of trend that doesn’t lead to loyalty in the clubhouse, although the quality of players there had taken a turn for the worse before Chairman Tom Ricketts signed off an aggressive spending program last winter.

In addition to Swanson, the Cubs are adding Jameson Taillon, Cody Bellinger, Drew Smyly, Trey Mancini, Tucker Barnhart, Michael Fulmer, Brad Boxberger and Edwin Rios to the mix. They are expected major contributions from two previous free-agent signings, Marcus Stroman and Seiya Suzuki.

Outfielder Ian Happ, who is only a year away from free agency, seemed to be in front of Hoerner in the line for an extension. But Hoyer locked in one of the outfield spots when he signed Suzuki to a five-year contract before 2022 and knows that outfield depth is the strength of his farm system.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Brennan Davis, Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie (a standout on Team Canada in the WBC) and Kevin Alcantara are coming fast, and ’22 rookies Nelson Velasquez and Christopher Morel look to earn a second chance while a phone call away from Chicago. Hoyer was smart to focus on getting a deal done with Hoerner, with Happ becoming a likely trade chip unless the Cubs are in the running for one of the NL’s six postseason spots.

Hoerner is expected to hit leadoff for manager David Ross, with Swanson in the No. 2 spot and the switch-hitting Happ hitting third behind the two right-handed hitters.

The Cubs’ rebuilding didn’t end this off-season. But the combination of Swanson and Hoerner make it clear who they’re going to rebuild around. When they turn double plays, it will be easier for fans to dream about what lies ahead.