Sometimes, Major League Baseball works in mysterious ways.
The Chicago Cubs clearly intended to be playoff contenders this season, inking manager Craig Counsell to a record contract and spending where necessary. With Cody Bellinger back in the fold and Shota Imanaga in the starting rotation, it was all systems go on the north side of Chicago.
Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox appeared in no rush to open their own playoff window, trading away key contributors like Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo. Morale was so bad that CEO Sam Kennedy and general manager Craig Breslow were nearly booed offstage at the team's fan fest.
However, midway through the season, it's the Red Sox who are challenging for a playoff spot, while the Cubs are in danger of falling out of the race. As improbable as it may have seemed at the start of the season, Boston may be in a position to acquire one of Chicago's stars.
MLB Network insider Jon Morosi said Monday that there is an increasing possibility the Cubs could deal second baseman Nico Hoerner, who has two years of team control remaining after 2024.
If Hoerner is available, the Red Sox should be one of the first teams to pick up the phone. The 27-year-old won a Gold Glove at second base in 2023, and he also grades well defensively at shortstop. He's a massive upgrade in the middle of the infield, a pain point for Boston all season.
At the same time, Hoerner fits the Red Sox's new identity on offense. Boston is on track to lead the American League in stolen bases for the first time since 1935. And Hoerner has 57 steals in 66 attempts since the start of 2023, tops among all big-league second basemen.
As Red Sox fans are all too aware, ownership has been reluctant to add payroll in the past year. The current payroll is the lowest it's been since 2014 and the team made zero marquee free-agent signings in the winter.
However, Hoerner would be an acquisition for the two seasons to come, not just 2024. The championship window is clearly on the horizon for Boston, though a playoff berth would still be nice this season. Plus, Boston could flip him at a future deadline if there's an infield logjam.
Ultimately, it's down to whether the Cubs fall far enough out of the race that they see a Hoerner trade as a necessity. Infielders don't age well, so if the Cubs need to rebuild or retool, moving Hoerner could be the logical move. Then, Boston just needs to win the bidding war.
More MLB: Cubs must acquire Rockies All-Star to solve struggles, per insider
