Chicago Cubs Infield Could Look Very Different In Japan With Recent Injury News

The Chicago Cubs could have a very thin infield when they take on the Dodgers in Japan.

Aug 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) throws to first base in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are less than three weeks away from getting started with their regular season campaign in a two-game set against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan.

While fans already have a pretty good idea who will be pitching in those games, who will be in the lineup and on the diamond are starting to look like a little bit of a mystery. The Opening Day status of Cubs Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner has been in doubt for some time now after he underwent surgery to repair a flexor tendon at the end of the season.

The team confirmed this week officially Hoerner will not be making the trip to Tokyo.

The positive side of the news according to manager Craig Counsell is Hoerner is tracking to be ready for "domestic" Opening Day when Chicago travels to Phoenix a week after they return from Tokyo to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks with a series beginning on March 27

Further headlines have been made in terms of injuries to the infield over the last several weeks when top prospect Matt Shaw - who is the presumptive Opening Day third baseman after the failed pursuit of Alex Bregman - had been dealing with an oblique injury during a critical spring training for his development in trying to prove why he should get the job.

Shaw's injury is not considered to be serious, but it was reported this week he is likely not expected to travel to Japan as well before several more spring training games for the team between the Japan trip and official Opening Day.

If both Hoerner and Shaw are out against the Dodgers - a reality which appears likely at this point - the Cubs infield is going to look very different for the two games than the team may have hoped for.

There's no shortage of options, however Chicago will have to figure out what configuration works best for the matchups.

All three offseason acquisitions - Justin Turner, Vidal Bruján, and Jon Berti - are capable of playing both second base and third base.

Given the money the team is paying Turner, it feels like a virtual lock he will get one of the spots while Bruján and Berti battle for the other.

Both are capable bench players, but the Cubs were certainly not hoping to have to rely upon their bench for the first two games of the season.

Needing all hands on deck against a stacked Los Angeles roster, a challenge which was already stiff just got a little bit tougher for Chicago.

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