Giants' Luis Arraez signing takes a major Nico Hoerner suitor off the board

For months, trade speculation has surrounded Chicago Cubs Gold Glover Nico Hoerner. The majority of that smoke has come from outside Chicago, centered mostly around two teams: the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox, two teams with glaring needs at second base.

But, on Saturday, the Giants agreed to terms on a one-year, $12 million pact with Arraez, taking the three-time batting champ off the market and addressing their second base need in the process.

The fit between Chicago and San Francisco on a Hoerner trade always felt like a stretch to me personally, but regardless, with just over a week until pitchers and catchers report, a suitor is off the board. The Red Sox still remain interested in Hoerner and Matt Shaw for their infield needs, but nothing appears imminent.

Cubs could still look to lock up Nico Hoerner on a contract extension

Hoerner, 28, is heading into the final season of the three-year, $35 million extension he signed with the team ahead of the 2023 campaign - and his place on the field and in the Cubs clubhouse couldn't be clearer. He's the best defensive second baseman in the game, and possesses elite bat-to-ball skills, narrowly missing out on the NL batting title last summer.

“Jed’s got so much love and respect for Nico,” veteran Dansby Swanson told reporters in January. “Nico means the world to me and to this team; who he is as a person, he brings the same type of energy and competitive spirit that Alex does. He’s somebody that’s just a darn good player, really good winner and irreplaceable, really. There’s no (way to properly) value what he brings to this group on and off the field.”

Irreplaceable. That's not a word somebody like Swanson throws around lightly. But it's accurate when describing Hoerner, a former first-round pick who has grown into a leader and key presence for the team over his seven-year MLB career. As much as a team like the Red Sox would like to see the Cubs move Hoerner via trade, there's not a Cubs fan around who wouldn't prefer another extension to keep him in Wrigleyville for years to come.

Barring a last-minute all-in move from Craig Breslow and the Red Sox, it appears Hoerner will once again man second base for the Cubs in 2026. The bigger question then becomes: is this a swan song or just another chapter in Hoerner's Chicago story with much left to be written?