Despite Offseason Surgery, Chicago Cubs Gold Glover Appears Healthy For Opening Day

Despite having surgery on his throwing arm this offseason, Nico Hoerner is in the lineup for the Cubs final spring training game.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) is greeted in the dugout after scoring against the Cincinnati Reds during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field in 2024. | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are playing one last spring training game on Tuesday and Nico Hoerner is in the lineup, signaling that he should be healthy enough to play on Opening Day.

Hoerner did not play in the Tokyo Series and has just six at-bats this spring because of flexor tendon surgery over the offseason.

Last one before the regular season!

Watch it live on the Marquee Sports Network App. pic.twitter.com/hOAaIshsH6

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 25, 2025

The 27-year-old hit .273 last season with seven homers and a .335 on-base percentage. One of the better contact hitters in baseball, he is a .278 hitter lifetime. He'll pair with Dansby Swanson and Kyle Tucker to make up an important trio in the team's lineup.

He also provides the Cubs value on the bases, having stolen 31 bases last season and 43 in 2023. Hoerner also won the Gold Glove Award in 2023 for his work up the middle.

A six-year veteran, Hoerner signed a contract extension before the 2023 season. He is under contract through the 2026 season.

Hoerner was a first-round draft pick of the Cubs back in 2018 out of Stanford University. He made his major league debut back in 2019.

The Cubs are coming off a season in which they finished tied for second in the National League Central, but they were 10.0 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, who won the division.

There were trade rumors surrounding Hoerner this offseason, as he was in the mix for the Seattle Mariners, but the two teams did not come to an agreement.

The Cubs are 0-2 after getting swept in the Toyko Series. They'll take on the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday.

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