The Cubs reached an agreement to extend second baseman Nico Hoerner following Thursday’s 10-4 loss to the Nationals on Opening Day, a source confirmed to the Sun-Times.
Hoerner was set to reach free agency following the 2026 season and was going to be one of the premier names on the market. Hoerner batted .297/.345/.394 with a .739 OPS last season and earned a Gold Glove. He joins center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who signed a six-year, $115 million extension , as Cubs to reach long-term agreements.
Hoerner debuted in 2019 as an emergency call-up for an injured Javier Baez. He played a bit role in the 2020-21 season before establishing himself as a major-league player in 2022, posting a 4.2-WAR season and batting .281/.327/.410.
As president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer dismantled the 2016 World Series core, Hoerner grew as a dependable and respected voice in the Cubs’ clubhouse. Hoerner said before Thursday’ s game he wanted to focus on the game and not his contract status, but the deal was reportedly agreed to after the game. He now joins Crow-Armstrong, Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman as foundational players with guaranteed contracts that last past the 2027 season.
