Losing out on Alex Bregman was a huge blow to the Red Sox, who thought they’d made a competitive offer only to learn they’d been outbid by the Chicago Cubs.
Now the Red Sox must regroup, and while signing top free agent infielder Bo Bichette is the obvious pivot, Saturday’s outcome may also open a new path the club could take.
By signing Bregman, the Cubs now have a logjam in their infield. Chicago already had Nico Hoerner at second base, Dansby Swanson at shortstop, Michael Busch at first and promising upstart Matt Shaw at third. With Bregman on board the Cubs probably don’t have a spot for Shaw, who was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and posted a solid 3.1 wins above replacement as a rookie.
If the Cubs still believe Shaw is part of their future, perhaps they might be willing to move Hoerner?
A two-time Gold Glove winner, Hoerner is the best defensive second baseman in baseball and is coming off a strong all-around season in which he led the Cubs in wins above replacement (6.2 WAR) and earned down ballot votes for National League MVP.
Paired with Trevor Story, new first baseman Willson Contreras and likely Marcelo Mayer at third base, Hoerner could help elevate Boston’s infield from among the worst defensive units in MLB to among the best.
Offensively, Hoerner bats right-handed and finished runner-up for the NL batting title (.297), which would make him a good fit for the Red Sox and someone who could conceivably slot into the top of the lineup. He doesn’t hit for much power, but he hardly ever strikes out and ranks among the game’s top baserunners, with four consecutive seasons with 20 or more stolen bases.
This past season showed the value of putting the ball in play, especially for a Red Sox club that frequently struggled to cash in with runners in scoring position.
As an added bonus, the 28-year-old is well regarded for his clubhouse leadership, which Boston is going to need more of after losing Bregman and veteran outfielder Rob Refsnyder in free agency this winter.
The Cubs won’t be tripping over themselves to part with a player like that, but the Red Sox might be uniquely well positioned to swing a deal.
Chicago may soon have an outfield vacancy if top free agent Kyle Tucker winds up signing with another team. As it happens, the Red Sox currently have more outfielders than they can realistically accommodate.
Would the Cubs consider dealing Hoerner in exchange for Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu? They’d have to consider it.
Duran and Abreu are both proven starting-caliber outfielders who can impact the game on both sides of the ball, and they would ensure Chicago’s lineup remains among the best in the National League.
Abreu in particular might be appealing to the Cubs, since he, like Hoerner, is a two-time Gold Glove winner who could slot directly into Tucker’s old place in right field.
Duran and Abreu also offer multiple years of team control at an affordable price. Duran is set to earn $7.7 million this season and won’t hit free agency for another three years. Abreu’s salary hasn’t been determined but will likely come in under $2 million, and he’ll remain under team control for another four seasons.
Hoerner, meanwhile, is entering the final year of a three-year, $35 million contract that will pay him approximately $12 million in 2026. He will be a free agent after the season.
Given that Chicago and Boston each expect to compete for a World Series championship this season, a one-for-one swap of big leaguers makes sense for both clubs. Each side has a positional logjam to clear, so both could walk away confident in their ability to contend while boasting more functional rosters. The Red Sox could also avoid further depleting their farm system, which has taken a hit thanks to the 10 trades the club has already made this winter.
Doing business with the Cubs after they stole away your top offseason target might be a tough pill for the Red Sox to swallow, but if Craig Breslow is serious about exploring every opportunity to improve the team, Hoerner is absolutely a player worth calling about.
