The hot stove barely had time to cool down after the Chicago Cubs dropped a $175 million bombshell by signing Alex Bregman before General Manager Brian Cashman decided to pick up the phone.
According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the Yankees immediately reached out to Chicago regarding the availability of shortstop Nico Hoerner, and frankly, it is the most logical phone call Cashman has made all winter.
We know that the Yankees could have an opportunity to steal Nico Hoerner from the Cubs now that Chicago’s infield is overflowing with high-priced talent, and the Yankees need to be aggressive in exploiting that surplus. While the sentimentality around homegrown talent runs deep in the Bronx, the reality is that championship windows don’t care about feelings, and upgrading to Hoerner is a ruthless move that needs to happen.
Anthony Volpe’s Struggles Have Become Impossible to Ignore
We all wanted Anthony Volpe to be the second coming of Derek Jeter, but after three full seasons, the numbers are screaming a different story.
The 2025 campaign was arguably his lowest point, as he battled a partially torn labrum in his throwing arm that turned his usually reliable glove into a liability, resulting in one of the worst defensive seasons among all qualified shortstops. Offensively, the narrative remained frustratingly consistent, with his production sitting more than 10% below the league average for the third consecutive year.
The Yankees have been patient, banking on his work ethic and pedigree, but you simply cannot carry a black hole in the lineup and a question mark in the field when you are trying to chase down a title.
In stark contrast, Nico Hoerner is the finished product that Volpe is still trying to become. He is an elite contact hitter who refuses to strike out, a Gold Glove-caliber defender who devours ground balls, and a chaos agent on the basepaths who creates runs out of thin air. Hoerner brings a high batting average and on-base consistency that the Yankees’ lineup desperately lacks, balancing out the swing-and-miss tendencies of the middle-of-the-order sluggers.
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Trading Potential for Proven Production
Acquiring Hoerner, who has one year of team control remaining before hitting free agency in 2027, won’t be cheap despite Chicago’s need to clear space.
The cost of doing business will likely involve parting with a top-tier pitching prospect like Elmer Rodriguez, a young arm with electric stuff that the organization loves. However, hoarding prospects while the major league roster has glaring holes is a strategy for mediocrity, not dominance. If the choice is between dreaming on Rodriguez’s future or plugging Hoerner into the lineup to stabilize the infield immediately, you make that trade ten times out of ten.
This pivot to Hoerner also signals a shift in philosophy, moving away from high-risk targets. It is becoming clear that the Yankees interest in Bo Bichette is likely going to disappear as well, as Hoerner offers a far more reliable floor without the defensive headaches Bichette brings.
Cashman has identified a clear upgrade who fits the roster’s needs perfectly, and with Volpe’s shoulder concerns lingering, bringing in a proven commodity like Hoerner isn’t just an upgrade; it is an insurance policy the Yankees can’t afford to skip. The Cubs opened the door by signing Bregman; now the Yankees need to walk through it and close the deal.