Cubs giving second baseman Nico Hoerner six-year contract extension

The Cubs reached an agreement with second baseman Nico Hoerner on a six-year contract extension after their 10-4 loss Thursday to the Nationals on Opening Day, a source confirmed to the Sun-Times.

Hoerner was set to reach free agency after this season and was going to be one of the premier names on the market. Hoerner batted .297/.345/.394 last season and earned a Gold Glove. He joins center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who agreed to a six-year, $115 million extension earlier this week, as Cubs to reach long-term agreements.

Hoerner debuted in 2019 as an emergency call-up for an injured Javy Baez. He played a bit role in the 2020-21 season before establishing himself as a major-league player in 2022, posting a 4.2 WAR and batting .281/.327/.410.

As president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer dismantled the core of the 2016 World Series champs, Hoerner grew as a dependable and respected voice in the clubhouse.

Before the game, Hoerner said he wanted to focus on the game and not his contract status, but the deal reportedly was agreed to after the game. He joins Crow-Armstrong, Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman as Cubs with guaranteed contracts that go past the 2027 season.