Cubs Gold Glove Infielder Reaches Key Milestone in Injury Recovery

The Chicago Cubs resume the regular season next week and they're hoping this Gold Glove-winning infielder will be ready to play.

Sep 27, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) gestures after hitting a double as Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer (7)stands nearby during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. / David Banks-Imagn Images

Not every Chicago Cubs player could go to Japan for the Tokyo Series — even if they wanted to.

Second baseman Nico Hoerner would have loved to have been on that trip. But, as he continued his recovery from flexor tendon surgery in October, the Cubs felt it was better for Hoerner to remain in Arizona and continue his rehab.

On Friday, while the Cubs that did go to Japan were sleeping off the jet lag, Hoerner made a huge stride in his potential return to the lineup — he finally played a spring training game.

While he has been playing in minor league spring training games, this was his first with the Major League club. Hoerner batted second and played his usual position.

His first at-bat ended with him flying out to right field. In the fourth inning, he batted first and flew out again, this time to center field. His final at-bat, which came in the seventh, also ended in an out. He grounded out to shortstop.

Right now, the outcomes don’t matter. What matters is Hoerner playing an entire game in the field with the Major League squad less than a week before the Cubs re-boot the regular season with a series that starts at the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday.

Hoerner underwent the surgery, which was on his throwing arm, after last season. He admitted that being ready to play for the Tokyo Series would have been an “aggressive” timeline and the focus was on him being ready for the Arizona series. That’s the biggest reason why he didn’t make the trip to Tokyo.

He isn’t clear yet. Friday was just another box to check off.

“You gotta get your arm ready, but also your legs and your swing and your whole game,” he said to 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 said that Hoerner has “… passed all the tests so far” to be ready for next Thursday. If he is unable to go, Chicago will likely go with Jon Berti, who started at second base in the Tokyo Series.

Hoerner should man second base for the next two seasons, as he’s signed to a three-year deal through 2026. Last season he slashed .273/.335/.373/.708 with seven home runs, 48 RBI and 31 stolen bases. The year before he won his first Gold Glove at his new position, as he moved to second after the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to play shortstop.

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