{"id":133096,"date":"2026-01-02T08:20:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T08:20:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096"},"modified":"2026-01-02T08:20:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T08:20:28","slug":"%f0%9f%94%a5-exclusive-cubs-eyeing-all-star-infielder-as-trade-pressure-heats-up-with-the-infield-roster-facing-critical-decisions-the-cubs-are-making-moves-to-strengthen-their-lineup-for-the-posts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs<\/strong> eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n

\"Yankees,<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8GAME CHANGER: Chicago Cubs Could Shake Up Infield with Bo Bichette \u2013 What\u2019s Next for Nico Hoerner?<\/p>\n

The Chicago Cubs<\/strong> are reportedly checking in on free-agent infielder Bo Bichette<\/strong>, a move that could spark a major infield shakeup<\/strong> for the team, especially if they choose to move on from Nico Hoerner<\/strong> or fail to land another target in free agency. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post<\/strong>, this development is something to watch closely, as it could lead to significant decisions regarding the Cubs’ infield setup moving forward.<\/p>\n

Cubs Enter the Growing Bo Bichette Market<\/h3>\n

While Bichette\u2019s market<\/strong> had been relatively quiet and mostly tied to AL East suitors<\/strong>, such as the Toronto Blue Jays<\/strong> and Boston Red Sox<\/strong>, the Cubs have now joined the mix. The Yankees<\/strong> and Los Angeles Dodgers<\/strong> are also reportedly showing interest, placing Bichette in a growing group of contenders<\/strong> for his services.<\/p>\n

For the Cubs, the positional fit is key. Bichette, a two-time All-Star<\/strong>, has primarily played shortstop but has also begun to show some positional flexibility. This is particularly relevant as teams question whether he might need to transition off shortstop due to defensive struggles<\/strong>, including a poor performance in Outs Above Average<\/strong> (OAA), where he ranked in the first percentile in 2025<\/strong>, according to Baseball Savant<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What Bichette\u2019s Potential Arrival Means for the Cubs\u2019 Infield<\/h3>\n

The Cubs\u2019 current infield setup seems stable on paper. Dansby Swanson<\/strong> is locked in at shortstop, and Nico Hoerner<\/strong> is a key part of the second base<\/strong> position. However, rumors surrounding Hoerner\u2019s trade interest<\/strong> are making the Bichette pursuit<\/strong> more intriguing. If the Cubs choose to move Hoerner, they could open a spot for Bichette at second base, where he has already taken real-game reps<\/strong>\u2014including during the 2025 World Series<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The key question is whether the Cubs are committed to Hoerner long-term. The three-year, $35 million extension<\/strong> he signed keeps him under contract through 2026. If the Cubs have doubts about his future, trading Hoerner for pitching or other needs could be a viable option, and that would make room for Bichette at second.<\/p>\n

If the Cubs do clear second base, Bichette has indicated openness to playing the position<\/strong>, which could offer a way to maximize his offensive potential while protecting him defensively.<\/p>\n

Third Base: Another Possibility for Bichette<\/h3>\n

In addition to second base, the Cubs could explore third base<\/strong> as another potential fit for Bichette. If they miss out on their primary pursuit of Alex Bregman<\/strong>, Bichette could be framed as a solid alternative to upgrade the lineup. Although he has never played third in the majors, the Cubs may view him as a viable option to add offensive firepower to a lineup that still has room for improvement.<\/p>\n

The Cubs\u2019 options are clear: pursue Bregman as their top target, or pivot to Bichette if the former doesn\u2019t pan out. The flexibility in roster construction<\/strong> is key, as Bichette could contribute in multiple ways.<\/p>\n

Why This Matters Right Now: Key Details to Watch<\/h3>\n

While the Cubs\u2019 interest in Bichette is currently at the \u201ccheck-in\u201d stage<\/strong>, it\u2019s often a precursor to something bigger. If trade discussions around Hoerner<\/strong> intensify or if the Cubs come up short in their pursuit of Bregman, the Bichette-to-Cubs<\/strong> rumors are likely to heat up fast, as the team\u2019s infield needs<\/strong> will become much clearer.<\/p>\n

Here are the key details to watch:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n

    Hoerner\u2019s Contract<\/strong>: He\u2019s controllable through 2026 on a three-year, $35 million deal<\/strong>, which puts him in prime trade territory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Bichette\u2019s Positional Flexibility<\/strong>: He\u2019s already taken real-game reps at second base<\/strong>, including during a high-pressure moment in the 2025 World Series<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Defensive Concerns<\/strong>: Despite his offensive prowess, Bichette\u2019s defensive metrics<\/strong> at shortstop remain a concern, making the discussion about his position a significant part of the conversation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    The Cubs\u2019 Plan A and B<\/strong>: The Cubs\u2019 plan appears to be a two-track approach\u2014Bregman<\/strong> as their top priority, and Bichette<\/strong> as a potential fallback.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    What\u2019s Next?<\/h3>\n

    Expect the Bichette-to-Cubs noise<\/strong> to get louder quickly if Hoerner\u2019s trade chatter<\/strong> heats up or if Bregman<\/strong> lands elsewhere. The Cubs have positioned themselves as serious players in this free-agent market, and it could lead to a pivotal decision<\/strong> in their infield for years to come. With multiple positional fits<\/strong> available, Bichette could be the perfect solution to bolster the Cubs\u2019 lineup, whether at second base or third.<\/p>\n

    Keep an eye on this developing story, as it could be the next major piece in the Cubs’ 2026 roster reshaping<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":133097,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-02T08:20:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-02T08:20:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-02T08:20:28+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec\",\"name\":\"MrThanh\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MrThanh\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=6\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","og_description":"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup...","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2026-01-02T08:20:28+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"MrThanh","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MrThanh","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096","name":"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-02T08:20:28+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-02T08:20:28+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew.jpg","width":1080,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=133096#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\ud83d\udd25 EXCLUSIVE: Cubs eyeing All-Star infielder as trade pressure heats up! With the infield roster facing critical decisions, the Cubs are making moves to strengthen their lineup for the postseason. Could this be the game-changing trade fans have been waiting for? Find out now \ud83d\udc47"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec","name":"MrThanh","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MrThanh"},"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=6"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=133096"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133098,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133096\/revisions\/133098"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/133097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=133096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=133096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=133096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}