Cubs and Dodgers have perfect opportunity to repeat Michael Busch trade blueprint

Bringing in Alex Bregman is the offseason jolt the Chicago Cubs have been waiting for, and in conjunction with their trade for Edward Cabrera, it's clear that the North Siders have positioned themselves as one of the top dogs in the National League in 2026.

That being said, there is a bit of an infield logjam now, with Bregman displacing Matt Shaw from the hot corner for the foreseeable future. It's always possible that the Cubs could simply flip or stash or their former top prospect, but he'd serve the team a greater purpose as a utility infielder with an eye on a starting job in 2027.

One other possibility that's been floated is the Cubs moving on from Nico Hoerner in a trade, seeing as the two-time Gold Glover is due to be a free agent after this upcoming season. Chicago has made it clear that such a move would be a last resort, but as a brilliant defender at both middle infield positions who can run well and possesses elite contact skills, Hoerner does have some notable trade value at the moment.

If the front office chooses to capitalize on that, might the Los Angeles Dodgers have the best trade package to offer in return?

Dodgers have need, resources to make a Nico Hoerner trade happen

Now, trading with the two-time defending champs — who are in direct opposition to the Cubs' goal of winning their first NL pennant in a decade — doesn't seem like an attractive proposition on the surface. Plenty of other teams could offer a convincing package for Hoerner is Chicago decides to trade him.

However, the same was true when the Cubs were searching for a first baseman two years ago, and it was the Dodgers who ultimately came calling with Michael Busch on the table. Yes, that deal deprived us of two eventual top-100 prospects (Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope), but Busch is coming off a star-making postseason run and team-leading 140 wR+. That trade worked out for both sides in the end.

Of course, the blueprint would be flipped on its head in this scenario, with the Cubs dangling the extraneous infielder (Hoerner) and the Dodgers offering prospects or young, controllable talent in return.

Also, unlike Busch at the time of the trade, Hoerner is a veteran with a proven track record at the major-league level. His rental status does mean he's inherently worth less in a swap than someone who has yet to reach arbitration, but he's coming off his strongest season yet at the plate (109 wRC+) and in the field (17 Defensive Runs Saved) and is only 28 years old. He's firmly in the middle of his prime.

The Dodgers don't have a full-time answer at second base right now, with either injury-prone utility man Tommy Edman or former KBO star Hyeseong Kim expected to take most of the reps. Hoerner's glove and bat would represent a massive upgrade for them at the position, and they have so much talent on both sides of the ball to entice the Cubs with. Heck, their farm system ranks among the best in the sport, even after two straight World Series runs.

Again, the ideal outcome with the Cubs and Hoerner is an extension that keeps him attached to the Windy City for the remainder of his prime. If a trade is genuinely considered by the front office, though, the best suitor is also probably going to be the most frustrating one.