Seattle Mariners Possible Trade Target Undergoes Serious Surgery; Team Will Likely Back Off
On Monday, it was revealed that Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner underwent flexor tendon surgery on his throwing arm.
That surgery came out of nowhere, as there was no indication that Hoerner was hurt and he never went on the injured list in 2024 as a result of any arm issues.
Per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic:
Nico Hoerner underwent flexor tendon surgery after having discomfort in his right forearm for a significant portion of the season. The Cubs won’t have a clear sense of his timeline until the Gold Glove second baseman reports for spring training next year.
Nico Hoerner underwent flexor tendon surgery after having discomfort in his right forearm for a significant portion of the season. The Cubs won’t have a clear sense of his timeline until the Gold Glove second baseman reports for spring training next year. https://t.co/Pt0UInFS9Q
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) October 22, 2024
While the Seattle Mariners have never officially been linked to Hoerner, this injury (and the uncertainty around his return) likely makes him someone the M's won't target in trades this winter.
Prior to the injury news, a trade pairing made some real sense though. First, with the M's expected to decline the team option on Jorge Polanco, the team will have an opening at second base. Hoerner is a Gold Glove second baseman (desirable), just 27 years old (also desirable), under team control for the next two seasons (also desirable), and only owed approximately $11.5 million in each of the next two seasons (also a good thing). Furthermore, Hoerner runs well (31 stolen bases in 2024) and is one of the better contact hitters in the game, which is something the Mariners drastically need to improve on.
The Cubs also could stand to rebuild the farm system, which is something the Mariners could have helped with.
However, the injury seems to make all of these moot points moving forward and the Mariners will need to continue looking for a long-term answer at second base.
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