Eye-catching Nico Hoerner stat is another reminder of how valuable he is to the Cubs

Trade rumors surrounding Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner continue to relentlessly spread, but this overlooked statistic is just one item on a long list of reasons for the Cubs to keep their Gold Glove infielder.

An X post from SleeperMLB pointed out that Hoerner led all MLB hitters in batting average against left-handed pitchers (.369) in 2025.

Hoerner's status with the team has been called into question after Chicago inked Alex Bregman to a $175 million contract last weekend. Adding Bregman does not directly affect Hoerner's playing time since Bregman figures to replace Matt Shaw at third base, but the rumors stemmed from the fact that his contract puts the Cubs' payroll right below or slightly over the first tier of the competitive balance tax ($244 million).

The Cubs have been careful to operate below this mark in recent years. So with Hoerner playing on an expiring contract, many seem to think the team will shed payroll by moving his $11.5 million salary for 2026. While Hoerner is a valuable player who could fetch a high price on the market, trading him would simply be a mistake. And with the Cubs raking in more revenue than nearly every team in the league (not to mention the plethora of contracts coming off the books next winter), they can afford to have a higher payroll in 2026 (higher compared to their previous few seasons).

Trading Nico Hoerner does not make sense for the Cubs

Hoerner, 28, has been with the Cubs longer than nearly anyone else on the current roster. Along with Ian Happ, Hoerner was around for the end of the team's previous competitive window, the sell-off of the World Series core, and now he's a leader for the current team. Trading him away would suck all the momentum that the team just injected into the clubhouse when they signed Bregman.

In addition to his off-field value, Hoerner is simply one of the best players on the team. In addition to raking against lefties, Hoerner also led all MLB second basemen in fWAR last season. He also struck out less than 99 percent of the league, took home his second Gold Glove Award, and nearly won the National League batting title, finishing the year at .297.

The guy does everything at an elite level aside from hitting home runs. If anything, the Cubs should be working out a contract extension to keep Hoerner in Chicago for the rest of the 2020s.