The Yankees need an infielder, and the Cubs’ pursuit of Alex Bregman could provide New York with an avenue for them to go after Nico Hoerner. Chicago might look to flip the young infielder in a deal, but the purpose of opening up space for Matt Shaw might be a secondary reason more than it is their primary objective.
It seems that the Cubs would want to add to their rotation, but the Yankees don’t have what Jed Hoyer would be looking for, as I doubt that Brian Cashman would trade three years of Clarke Schmidt or five years of Luis Gil for two years of Nico Hoerner.
That might put a nail in the coffin for the Yankees’ pursuit of Nico Hoerner…unless a third team were to get involved. In a deal that helps three different teams get exactly what they’re looking for, the Yankees, Cubs, and Padres could accomplish critical goals in just one maneuver.
Yankees, Cubs, And Padres Exchange High-Profile Names in This Mock Trade
Nico Hoerner is a perfect fit for the Yankees, who would love to further bolster their defense and baserunning with someone who is also an above-average hitter. Hoerner hasn’t had a wRC+ below 103 since 2022, and with his solid OBP, he might be an interesting option to lead off as well, although Aaron Boone has hinted at keeping that spot open.
Over the past three seasons, Nico Hoerner has been averaging over 4 bWAR and fWAR a year primarily as a second baseman. That kind of player would not only raise the floor of this team but the ceiling too, as it would make them one of the best defensive teams in the game while making them a potentially excellent baserunning team as well.
Jazz Chisholm, Anthony Volpe, and Nico Hoerner could steal 30 bases each, with guys like Jasson Dominguez and Cody Bellinger providing some extra speed as well. Aaron Boone mentioned on WFAN that it did bother him to hear various players on the Dodgers run their mouths about the team’s fundamentals, and Hoerner would be a departure from that dysfunction on the diamond.
Were the Yankees a fundamentally bad team? The defensive woes were overblown, but on the bases, they might have been one of the worst in franchise history. This past season saw them post their worst BsR as a team since integration back in 1946, so this would certainly be an area where Hoerner makes the team considerably better.
As for what the Cubs would want back, the Yankees can’t provide them with a frontline starter, but the Padres absolutely can.
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Dylan Cease is reportedly available in trade talks, and while the Padres are asking for a ton, they could be looking to move him by season’s end. They reached an agreement with Michael King in arbitration that allows them to afford his deal for 2025, but perhaps they decide to move on from Cease to free up money and acquire some much-needed outfield talent.
Assuming AJ Preller is willing to meet somewhere near Cease’s appropriate trade value, what could convince the long-time Padres’ GM to finally bite the bullet and agree to a deal? The Cubs likely don’t want to sign Alex Bregman and further crush their farm system, but if the Yankees can pitch in on this return for San Diego, perhaps these three teams could get everything they want in one fell swoop.
- Cubs Receive
- SP Dylan Cease
- Yankees Receive
- 2B Nico Hoerner
- Padres Receive
- 2B/3B James Triantos
- SP Javier Assad
- SP Will Warren
- RP Jake Cousins
Will Warren and Javier Assad provide the Padres with two cost-controlled starters who immediately slot into their rotation for 2025, giving them a 25-year-old and 27-year-old with a combined 10 years of club control. With both Yu Darvish and Michael King still anchoring the top of that rotation, they could get by with Assad as the three, Waldron as the four, and Warren as the five.
The headliner of the deal prospect-wise is James Triantos, an infielder who has experimented with reps in centerfield and could nail down an outfield spot in San Diego. The Padres transitioned Jackson Merrill into an outfielder, and if they get Triantos to be an anchor in left field, it will give them a complete outfield and leave the DH spot as their only gaping flaw.
Jake Cousins going to the Padres just gives San Diego some extra value, as he’s a cheap reliever and they could try and ship out someone making guaranteed money like Yuki Matsui or Wandy Peralta.
The Padres get two starting pitchers, someone who could win the starting left field job, a good cheap reliever, and financial flexibility to make some final touches to their roster. The Cubs add a frontline starter without having to part ways with someone like Matt Shaw, who is a big part of their contention window, putting together a clear favorite to come out of the NL Central.
As for the Yankees, this may incentivize them to keep Marcus Stroman since Will Warren can’t be insurance for their rotation anymore, but giving up just Warren and Jake Cousins to get someone like Nico Hoerner is awesome. They get the exact infield upgrade they need, and they position themselves to dominate the American League.