Nico Hoerner will not travel with Cubs to Japan
Nico Hoerner will not join the Cubs on their trip to Tokyo next month to take on the Dodgers.
Hoerner will remain back in the U.S. to continue rehab on his arm after undergoing flexor tendon surgery in the offseason, manager Craig Counsell said Thursday morning. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers was first with the news.
Hoerner has been recovering and is in a throwing program, but has not yet seen the field this spring. Counsell spoke with the media, and despite not traveling, the overall news is positive.
“This is a good news situation,” Counsell said Thursday morning. “I think we’re very much tracking towards domestic Opening Day.”
The U.S. opener is March 27th in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.
Hoerner has said the arm injury has impacted his throwing most of all and he wanted to have the surgery to make sure he is at his best on the field all season long, including playing shortstop as a backup to Dansby Swanson at times.
[WATCH: Best of Nico Hoerner on the Marquee broadcast]
With the Tokyo Series less than three weeks away, it makes sense that Hoerner would not be ready for game action by then. Especially considering he has yet to play in a Cactus League game.
The 27-year-old infielder racked up 3.7 WAR while dealing with the forearm issue last year and still rated as a strong defender. He won the Gold Glove at second base in 2023.
He also hit .273 with a .335 on-base percentage and .373 slugging percentage, good for a .708 OPS.
The Cubs have other options to play second base in the opening series, including Rule 5 selection Gage Workman and veteran infielder Jon Berti. Chicagoland native Nicky Lopez is also in camp on a minor-league deal and can man second base.
Both Berti and Lopez were in the lineup Thursday for the Cubs’ game at Sloan Park in what appeared to be essentially an Opening Day lineup from Counsell:
- Ian Happ – LF
- Kyle Tucker – RF
- Seiya Suzuki – DH
- Michael Busch – 1B
- Dansby Swanson – SS
- Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
- Carson Kelly – C
- Jon Berti – 2B
- Nicky Lopez – 3B
This could be how the Cubs line up against the Dodgers on March 18, though prospect Matt Shaw could be in the lineup at third base by then. Shaw is currently coming back from an oblique injury in camp.