Nico Hoerner DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Cubs continue to be cautious with Hoerner who missed the opening two games in Tokyo while recovering from flexor tendon surgery. He went 0-for-4 on Friday, so the Cubs will give Hoerner a breather here. Jon Berti will cover second base and bat ninth versus right-hander Brandon Pfaadt on Saturday. Berti has good speed, but probably won't see enough playing time to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats.

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic notes that Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (forearm) is expected to be ready for Opening Day. Hoerner has been recovering from surgery for his flexor tendon since last October, holding him to only two Cactus League appearances this spring. The 27-year-old played in his first outings over the weekend, going 1-for-6 with a single. He's hit just 26 home runs over the prior three seasons combined but has been an excellent source of batting average and steals when healthy. Additionally, he's struck out 12.1% of the time or less since 2022. The former first-round pick hit 35 doubles in 2024 -- the highest mark of his six-year career.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (forearm) is starting at second base and is batting second in the team's Cactus League game on Friday against the San Diego Padres. Hoerner continues to recover from flexor-tendon surgery last October, which kept him from appearing in the season-opening, two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Hoerner will be in the lineup on Friday, but it remains to be seen if he'll be ready for the U.S. opener next Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. When fully healthy, the 27-year-old will resume duties as the team's regular second baseman in 2025 after the former first-rounder hit .273/.335/.373 with seven home runs, 48 RBI and 31 steals in 151 games in 2024 in his sixth big-league season. He's not flashy by any means and doesn't have much power, but he's consistent, puts the ball in play and has averaged 31 steals the last three years.