The Chicago Cubs finally made a huge free agency splash when they signed Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million deal. Bregman is set to take over for Matt Shaw at third base, yet it's Nico Hoerner who has found himself in trade rumors ever since the signing became official.
With that being said, is Hoerner actually on the trade block? Here's what Cubs fans need to know right now.
Why the Cubs would trade Nico Hoerner
It feels weird that signing a third baseman would put a second baseman on the trade block, but the reason for that is quite simple. Shaw was a third baseman last season, but he played some second base in the minors and even made four appearances at the position in the majors. He could easily be the team's second baseman in 2026 and beyond.
With that being said, Shaw is not as good a player as Hoerner is, so why would the Cubs trade Hoerner even if Shaw can play second base? The reason for that comes down to Hoerner's contract. Hoerner is entering his final year of club control and is slated to hit free agency after the season concludes. The Cubs would trade him to ensure they get something for him before he'd potentially depart for nothing in the winter.
This would be decent asset management, but is that really the way the Cubs should be operating? Not really.
Why the Cubs should not trade Nico Hoerner
Shaw might be a viable replacement for Hoerner, but that doesn't mean they should be trading the better player. By signing Bregman, a 31-year-old, to the deal they did, the Cubs made it clear they intend to compete right now. With that being said, why sign Bregman only to then turn around and trade one of their best players?
Hoerner slashed .297/.345/.394 with seven home runs and 61 RBI this past season for the Cubs. He doesn't hit for much power, but he makes as much contact as anyone, and is one of the best defenders at the keystone in the sport. Hoerner won the second Gold Glove of his career this past season and led all primary second basemen with 4.8 fWAR. Yes, by that metric, he was more valuable than the likes of Ketel Marte, Brice Turang and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Players like Hoerner do not grow on trees, and it's unlikely they'll get a player in return who'd give them a better chance of winning now. You don't sign Bregman only to get worse around him. That's the argument for keeping Hoerner, even in a contract year.
What the Cubs will probably do with Nico Hoerner
Is Hoerner on the trade block? Not exactly. This doesn't mean the Cubs won't trade him, though. Here's what The Athletic's ($) Sahadev Sharma wrote about Hoerner's situation shortly after Bregman signed.
"There are no indications that the Cubs are looking to move Hoerner, but other teams have come calling, and this organization won’t hang up when others ring," Sharma wrote. "The Cubs will listen, and if they’re blown away, they may decide it’s the right thing to do."
The Cubs are not actively shopping Hoerner, but they also aren't hanging up the phone when others call. We've already seen reports that teams like the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants are interested in acquiring Hoerner, and chances are, others have expressed interest as well. This is exactly what the Cubs should do.
They shouldn't be trying to trade Hoerner, one of their best players, but what if there's an offer that's too good to pass on? There are very few players in this sport that should be considered untouchable, and that includes Hoerner. The Cubs should not trade him just to trade him, but if they get an offer that makes them better in 2026, it'd be foolish to ignore said offer. The Cubs are handling this situation perfectly based on what's being reported. He probably isn't going anywhere, and if he does, it'll only be for an offer that's too good to pass on. That is a good thing.
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