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The Chicago Cubs are in the midst of a critical offseason.
After missing the playoffs for the fourth-consecutive season in 2024, the team has to decide whether they are in position to make some roster upgrades and a postseason run in 2025 or to offload some salary with an eye toward a more extensive rebuild.
Outlining the ideal offseason for the New York Yankees, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner suggested the Cubs could take the latter route, proposing a one-for-one swap that would send Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner to the Bronx in exchange for Yankees’ starter Nestor Cortes.
“The Chicago Cubs are looking for starting pitching. Could the teams orchestrate a one-for-one swap with the Yankees receiving infielder Nico Hoerner?” Kirschner asked. “Hoerner is owed $11.67 million next season, and Cortes is projected to earn $7.7 million in arbitration. Next year is Cortes’ final season before free agency; Hoerner has an additional season under contract before becoming a free agent after the 2026 season.”
Future financial flexibility seems to be the primary selling point for Cortes over Hoerner, particularly as the Yankees pitcher is coming off a shaky 2024 season and a notable high-leverage collapse in the World Series.
Cortes posted a 3.77 ERA in 30 regular-season starts for the Yankees in 2024 before going down with an elbow injury in late September. He returned for two innings in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a reliever role, giving up a game-winning grand slam to Freddie Freeman.
Hoerner, meanwhile, is a former Gold Glove utility infielder who slashed .273/.335/.373 for the Cubs in 2024. He led the team in total hits and at-bats and posted the second-most runs on the season.
However, if the Cubs are looking to free up some salary space in 2025 and for the near future, dealing Hoerner might be an appealing way to do so. If the team sees Cortes as a back-end rotation option behind Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele and feels optimistic about a younger infield option behind Hoerner, this winter could be a chance to rebuild toward the longer-term future.
From the Yankees’ perspective, this potential deal has some clear upside. But it seems unlikely that Cubs fans would feel the same way.
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Peter Chawaga is a veteran journalist covering Major League Baseball for The Sporting News. His MLB reporting has included feature interviews with commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz, salary analysis, player rankings and more. He has covered baseball for Forbes, Yardbarker, Pitcher List, Athlon and other outlets.
With over ten years of newsroom experience, he has previously covered finance, technology, arts, and culture for newspapers, magazines, and websites nationwide. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in English and journalism.
English (US)