The Chicago Cubs locked up their second baseman for the long haul on a six-year extension they agreed to on Thursday.
The Chicago Cubs didn’t have the Opening Day they’d hoped for with a 10-4 loss to the Washington Nationals in which little went right for the franchise. They certainly offset that with some good news that shortly followed, with Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation reporting that the Cubs agreed to an extension with second baseman Nico Hoerner. The numbers aren’t publicly reported just yet, but Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that it’s a six-year deal. Chicago went to lock up their infielder ahead of his impending free agency later this year, as 2026 was the final year on his previous extension. Hoerner has been a key member of the franchise and will continue to do so now for the long haul.
He’s been a consistent contact hitter for the Cubs, slashing .297/.345/.394 with a .739 OPS, seven homers, 61 RBI, and 29 stolen bases. Since 2022, Hoerner has 123 stolen bases. On defense, he is one of the best in the league at his position since making the switch to second base in 2023. He has 32 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 35 Outs Above Average (OAA) in that span. It’s the second major extension for the clubhouse over the past week, after recently inking Pete Crow-Armstrong to a six-year, $115 million deal.
Here is the full story from Cubs Roundtable writer Joey Pollizze on the major extension that offsets some Opening Day disappointment.
This may be the last big contract for Hoerner, as it’ll set him for free agency in 2032 which he’ll enter at 35 years old. But for the short-to-long term future, Hoerner and Crow-Armstrong will remain cornerstones.