Report: Cubs’ Fans on Edge as Nico Hoerner’s Spring Training Status Remains Unclear
Since it was revealed Nico Hoerner underwent flexor tendon surgery in his right forearm in October, questions about the Chicago Cubs’ second baseman’s status haven’t gone away.
A big one of those centered around his appearance as a trade candidate going into the offseason. The Cubs weren’t aggressively shopping him, but the injury still seemed to take a hit on a potential return.
A trade felt even more unlikely at that point. So, the question turned to when he’d be ready to play and how much time he could miss.
Will Hoerner be good to participate at all during spring training? Is the Cubs’ two-game series, against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo beginning March 18, in play?
Might he be ready for their first 2025 regular season game in the U.S. in Arizona on March 27? What about the Cubs’ home opener on April 4?
Those questions and more have been asked plenty over the last three months. But as of Saturday at the Cubs Convention, there aren’t any clear answers.
“The surgery, it’s hard not to, from day one, start projecting out,” Hoerner said. “I think I’d do myself and the team a bit of a disservice if I rush this process in any way. I think it is kind of in my nature to push towards that direction. But straight up reps and work ethic, like, effort doesn’t really heal your tendons. Obviously, there’s stuff within that, but patience is a huge part of it, too.
“All that to be said, I guess just working backwards from Opening Day, you take playing as many games in a season as possible into consideration. It’s obviously a huge source of motivation, both for myself and for the team, making sure that I’m in a place not only just to get back to being able to play but actually being able to be myself.
“Yeah, we’ll go from there. I don’t have an exact answer on that yet.”
That message felt a bit different from one delivered earlier that morning by Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins, responding to a question involving Hoerner’s health posed during a baseball operations panel.
“When you talk to him, ask him if he’s hurt,” Hawkins said. “Nico is about as tough of a guy as we have in the organization, if not the toughest. … He’s going to do everything he possibly can to be ready for Opening Day.
“We’ve got a lot of great depth that’s going to be able to help us out if that’s not the case. But I think if you went and told him, ‘What are you going to do since you’re not going to be here for Opening Day?’, he’s going to stare right through you.”
Maybe the latter message just feels more positive or confident than the former. Both sides are pulling the rope in the same direction, though. They just want Hoerner to come back healthy for next season. Still, it all helps underscore the lack of clarity on Hoerner’s status.
Regardless, he’s currently in the rehab process. He’s trying not to push too hard and risk a setback.
