After striking out on marquee infield targets like Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette, the Boston Red Sox wasted no time pivoting to address their rotation. That led to a splashy five-year, $130 million deal with left-hander Ranger Suárez earlier this month-a move that signaled a clear shift in priorities under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. But while the rotation got its reinforcement, the infield remains a work in progress, and that’s where things get interesting.
One name that’s come up repeatedly in league circles: Nico Hoerner. The Red Sox have reportedly been among the teams checking in with the Cubs about the two-time Gold Glove second baseman, and the fit is hard to ignore. Boston’s current infield outlook is murky at best, and Hoerner would bring immediate stability on both sides of the ball-especially on defense, where he ranks among the elite.
But here’s the catch: Chicago’s asking price isn’t for the faint of heart. Think back to last offseason, when the Cubs landed Kyle Tucker from Houston.
That deal cost them right-hander Hayden Wesneski, All-Star infielder Isaac Paredes, and top prospect Cam Smith. If Boston wants Hoerner, it’s going to take a similarly aggressive offer-likely centered around a high-upside young arm like Connelly Early or Payton Tolle.
That’s a steep price, and one that would force Breslow to weigh short-term gains against long-term cost.
Still, the need is real. As it stands, FanGraphs projects former top prospect Marcelo Mayer as the team’s everyday third baseman, with Romy Gonzalez holding down second base.
Mayer, 23, is heading into his first full MLB season, and while there’s plenty of optimism about his future, 2025 was a rough introduction to big-league pitching-he struck out in over 30% of his plate appearances and posted a wRC+ of just 80 in limited action. There’s hope he’ll take a step forward, but expecting him to carry the infield from day one is a big ask.
Then there’s Gonzalez. He’s coming off a career year at the plate-slashing .305/.343/.483 over 341 plate appearances-but most projection models expect a significant regression in 2026. Defensively, he graded out as below-average at second base, which doesn’t exactly align with Boston’s new pitching-first identity.
That’s where Hoerner could be a game-changer. He’s not just a glove-first guy-he brings contact skills, speed, and a strong baseball IQ to the table.
More importantly, he fits perfectly into the Red Sox’s evolving blueprint: a team built around run prevention, efficient pitching, and reliable defense. Adding Hoerner would let Gonzalez shift into a utility or bench role, strengthening the roster’s depth and giving manager Alex Cora more flexibility.
It’s not that the Red Sox don’t want Hoerner-they clearly do. It’s whether they’re willing to meet Jed Hoyer’s price.
The Cubs aren’t in a rush to move him, and with Matt Shaw capable of filling a utility role, Chicago has the luxury of standing firm. That means if Breslow wants to make this happen, he’ll have to push his chips in-and that’s no small decision.
Boston has also reportedly shown interest in other infield options like Isaac Paredes and Brendan Donovan, both of whom offer different skill sets and price points. But none bring the defensive ceiling Hoerner does, and if the Red Sox are serious about contending in 2026, upgrading the infield could be the move that ties the whole roster together.
The question now is whether Boston is ready to pay the premium. Because if they are, and if Chicago is willing to listen, this is the kind of deal that could reshape the AL East race-and give the Red Sox the defensive backbone their revamped rotation deserves.