Things have been quiet on the Cubs front since the Winter Meetings.

However, rumors have popped up in recent days that the San Francisco Giants have checked in with the Chicago Cubs regarding second baseman Nico Hoerner. Hoerner is in the final year of his deal, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the Giants are potentially interested in trading for him.

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“The Chronicle has learned the Giants have checked in on former Stanford shortstop Nico Hoerner, who’s from Oakland,” Slusser wrote.

Hoerner definitely has some connection to the Bay Area, as he grew up in Oakland, California. He attended Head-Royce High School — which is about 15 miles away from Oracle Park — and also went to Stanford University to play college baseball.

While the Giants appear interested in trading for the two-time Gold Glove winner, the odds of the Cubs actually trading him away are slim. The team is likely listening, but the front office knows trading him away would be a bad move.

Hoerner was arguably the best player on the Cubs in 2025. He led the team in WAR (6.2) and contributed in all three facets of the game.

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Offensively, he was as consistent as anyone in Chicago’s lineup. He hit .297 with seven home runs, 29 doubles, four triples, and 61 RBI across 156 games. That .297 batting average was the second-highest in the National League — only behind Trea Turner’s .304 average.

Defensively, Hoerner was one of the best at second base. He won the second Gold Glove of his career and ranked first among all second basemen in Outs Above Average (14) and Runs Prevented (10).

Hoerner also changed the game on the basepaths. He stole 29 bases with his 28.6 ft/sec sprint speed and finished in the 96th percentile in Baserunning Run Value. This marked the third straight year he has stolen over 25 bases in a season.

All three of those things made him the Cubs’ MVP in 2025. Therefore, the front office would be foolish to even think about trading Hoerner.

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The logical thing to do with him this offseason is to extend him. With only one year left on his current deal, Hoerner will be a free agent next offseason. But the 28-year-old is deserving of an extension following several strong seasons in a row.

Even if the Cubs don’t agree to an extension with Hoerner before the season, it’s highly unlikely they would even think about trading him. Chicago is in the midst of its win-now window, and trading away a 6+ WAR player doesn’t seem like a smart decision.