The 2024 season was a major disappointment for the Chicago Cubs, despite finishing over .500. They won the same number of games as in 2023, despite bringing in manager Craig Counsell and key players like Michael Busch and Shōta Imanaga. With such underwhelming results, the Cubs are likely to make significant moves this offseason to reestablish themselves as contenders in the NL Central.
While a blockbuster deal for someone like Juan Soto is unlikely, Cubs president Jed Hoyer has no excuse not to pursue big changes through free agency and trades. The team possesses several tradeable assets, including top prospects and a few established players from their MLB roster. Nico Hoerner, for example, has been one of the more underrated middle infielders in the National League. Though he doesn’t hit many home runs, he excels defensively, hits for a high average, and rarely strikes out. With a surplus of middle infield prospects like Matt Shaw and James Triantos, along with Hoerner’s contract expiring after 2026, he was seen as a potential trade candidate if the Cubs could get the right return.
However, any trade involving Hoerner now seems unlikely due to a recent injury. As reported by Meghan Montemurro of the *Chicago Tribune*, Hoerner underwent right flexor tendon surgery on October 11, and his recovery timeline is currently unknown. This makes his offseason more focused on recovery, further complicating trade possibilities.
Unfortunate Nico Hoerner injury update makes it unlikely that the Cubs trade him
Whether the Cubs were planning to trade Nico Hoerner or not, his recent injury makes such a move unlikely. If Chicago were to trade him, they would understandably seek significant value in return. However, teams are typically hesitant to trade for an injured player, even one as talented as Hoerner. As a result, the Cubs likely wouldn’t receive the full value that Hoerner commands, given his injury status, making a trade impractical at this point.
For now, the Cubs are likely to move forward with Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson forming what is arguably the best defensive middle infield in baseball, with Hoerner at second base and Swanson at shortstop. While trading Hoerner could have brought back intriguing value and opened up a spot for prospects like Matt Shaw or James Triantos, keeping him in the lineup is far from a bad option.
In the worst-case scenario, if the Cubs struggle again next season, they could still explore trading Hoerner at the trade deadline when he’d have 1.5 years of team control remaining, potentially fetching a good return then.
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