The Chicago Cubs resume the regular season next week and they’re hoping this Gold Glove-winning infielder will be ready to play.
On Friday, while the Cubs players who traveled to Japan were resting off jet lag, Nico Hoerner took a significant step toward returning to the lineup—he finally played in a spring training game.
Although Hoerner had been participating in minor league spring training games, this marked his first appearance with the Major League squad. He batted second and played his usual position at second base.
In his first at-bat, Hoerner flew out to right field. In the fourth inning, he flew out again, this time to center field. His final at-bat in the seventh inning ended in a groundout to shortstop.
At this stage, the results don’t matter. The key takeaway is that Hoerner was able to play a full game with the Major League team just days before the Cubs resume the regular season with a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks starting Thursday.
Hoerner had undergone surgery on his throwing arm after last season. While he admitted that being ready for the Tokyo Series would have been an “aggressive” timeline, his focus was always on being prepared for the Arizona series, which is why he didn’t travel to Japan.
He’s not yet fully cleared, but Friday’s game was another step in the right direction.
“You gotta get your arm ready, but also your legs and your swing and your whole game,” he told reporters, including MLB.com. “And fortunately, I’m not too behind on that either and should be in a good spot to play.”
Cubs manager Craig Counsell stated that Hoerner has “passed all the tests so far” and should be ready for next Thursday. If Hoerner isn’t able to go, the Cubs will likely turn to Jon Berti, who started at second base during the Tokyo Series.
Hoerner is expected to man second base for the Cubs for the next two seasons, as he is signed to a three-year deal through 2026. Last season, he posted a .273/.335/.373/.708 slash line with seven home runs, 48 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. The previous year, he won his first Gold Glove after transitioning to second base when the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to play shortstop.
