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Giants, Cubs Discussing Trade Following Alex Bregman Signing

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 1:16 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs made a huge free-agent splash by signing Alex Bregman. They could reportedly trade a position player to make room for the All-Star third baseman.

Bregman's arrival creates an infield logjam for the Cubs. Rather than remove young third baseman Matt Shaw from the starting lineup, they could flip a more polished veteran.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan , the Cubs are in talks with the San Francisco Giants about a deal involving Nico Hoerner. The Giants are reportedly "aggressively pursuing" a second baseman, also discussing Brendan Donovan with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Chicago's lineup plans after signing Bregman

Sep 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (2) hits a single sacrifice fly in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesDavid Banks-Imagn Images

The Cubs swooped in to poach Bregman from the Red Sox on a five-year, $175 million deal. The 31-year-old brings an .846 career OPS and two World Series titles to the Windy City, but the Cubs must navigate a crowded lineup.

At first glance, Shaw looks like the odd man out in 2026. The third baseman batted .226/.295/.394 with 13 home runs and 17 stolen bases in his rookie campaign, but the 24-year-old made substantial progress with an .839 OPS after the All-Star break.

Chicago could thus pivot and shop Hoerner, an elite contact hitter who batted .297 with the third-lowest strikeout rate (7.6%) among qualified hitters in 2025. Although he tallied just seven home runs for the second straight season, Hoerner led all second basemen with a 4.8 fWAR thanks to his Gold Glove defense.

Trading such a productive 28-year-old would be a curious move for a contender, but Hoerner is entering the final season of a three-year contract. As a result, the Cubs may shop him and move Shaw to second base.

Giants seeking a second baseman

The Giants have reloaded their infield by signing shortstop Willy Adames last offseason and acquiring Rafael Devers during the 2025 campaign. After resisting the move with the Boston Red Sox, who signed Bregman to play third base last winter, Devers switched to first base with Matt Chapman manning the hot corner.

Second base remains a weak link for the Giants. Casey Schmitt, a career .228/.283/.384 hitter, is likely their top internal option.

San Francisco collectively batted .235 last season, so Hoerner or Donovan would instantly become the National League West team's best contact hitter and a fitting leadoff option. Donovan batted .287/.353/.422 last season for the Cardinals, who have commenced a rebuild by trading Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras to Boston.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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