Cubs' Nico Hoerner makes welcome return in team's first win of the season
PHOENIX – The first ball hit to second baseman Nico Hoerner in a regular season game this year was a sharp ground ball to his left, zipping toward the gap at over 95 mph.
Hoerner darted after it, going into a half slide to make a clean grab. His movements were deliberate as he made an on-target throw to first.
That play in the bottom of the second inning of the Cubs 10-6 win Thursday was an apt way to christen Hoerner’s return after undergoing offseason forearm surgery. He also went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in his season debut, as the Cubs opened their domestic schedule.
“It may be different for me, but this definitely does feel like a true opening day,” Hoerner said before the game Thursday. “I think especially with the past week off, it's going to feel pretty close to regular opening day for most guys. … This feels like a very fresh start to a new season.”
As a natural part of Hoerner’s injury progression, he was separated from the team by varying degrees this spring. For much of it he was at the same complex as his teammates but had to sit out of many of the drills and the games.
“I can't say enough just how much time and effort he puts in,” left fielder Ian Happ said. “First guy into the park in spring, and the last guy out of there. He would come to watch every game. He's the ultimate teammate, and he cares. He was never going to not be ready for this day.”
In order to make that goal a reality, Hoerner stayed behind when the Cubs went to Tokyo, continuing his buildup with game action on the minor-league side of camp.
“I always thought Japan was probably out of the question, and he actually got closer than we thought,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “But ultimately, with the travel, it would have cost him five games. And he needed that time.”
When the team returned, Hoerner made his 2025 Cactus League debut. He played in three of the Cubs’ five spring training games between the Tokyo Series and the domestic opener.
In his second appearance, Hoerner turned a double play with Gage Workman at shortstop and Justin Turner at first.
“That definitely felt good,” Hoerner said. “That's one of the more taxing throws at second base, just flat footed and making a strong throw. And even though I’d done that in practice a bunch, it just felt good to do in the game. Things like that definitely matter. And I got plenty of a- bats and hit some balls well.”
When Hoerner underwent the right flexor tendon surgery in October, an operation that’s more common for pitchers, his timeline wasn’t immediately clear.
“Sometimes you guys think we're being coy,” Hoyer said. “I don't think we really had a sense of what the return would be.”
By the time the team decided Hoerner wasn’t going to Japan, they’d targeted domestic opening day.
“Making it to Opening Day is not so much the goal as being healthy for a whole year and being myself,” Hoerner said. “So, obviously, I’ve still got to do that, but I’m checking the boxes and feeling really good about it.”
He made an immediate impact, from his sliding play in the second inning, to his RBI single up the right field line in the sixth, to the leadoff walk he drew in the ninth before scoring on Miguel Amaya’s double.
“I missed pitching with Nico in the field,” said starter Justin Steele, who allowed three runs in five innings. “ It's awesome watching him all over the place. He made a sick play behind me tonight.”
Then, to punctuate Hoerner’s return, the last play of the night went to him. He shuffled to his right, reeled in the grounder, and fired to first, sealing the Cubs’ first win of the season.