Chicago Cubs shortstop Nico Hoerner went 2-for-5 with a grand slam in an 8-3 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Hoerner's first career grand slam came in the eighth inning and broke what had been a close game wide open. The 26-year-old infielder is putting together a solid season for the Cubs, hitting .272 with six homers, 51 runs, 54 RBI, and 21 steals across 371 at-bats. After a cold streak to open July, he is hitting .250 with nine RBI over his past seven games.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner went 3-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored in a lopsided 10-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday afternoon. The Cubs were all over Guardians starter Cal Quantrill in this one, pummeling him for six earned runs. Hoerner put Chicago on the board in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run single to score Jared Young and Nick Madrigal. He would pick up two more singles in the contest and come around to score via a Christopher Morel homer in the bottom of the sixth. The 26-year-old has been hot over his last 65 at-bats (15 games), posting a .865 OPS with 13 RBI and four stolen bases. Hoerner is slashing a rock-solid .290/.338/.406 with five home runs, 42 RBI, and 18 stolen bases over 303 at-bats on the year. He's finally putting it all together this season and in on pace to smash all of his previous career highs.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is starting at the keystone and is hitting leadoff for the Cubbies on Friday against Baltimore Orioles left-hander Cole Irvin. Hoerner will get a chance at the top of Chicago's batting order after hitting in the two-hole recently. Mike Tauchman will take a seat with a left-hander on the mound for Baltimore. Hoerner is currently riding a modest four-game hitting streak in which he's gone 6-for-18 (.333) with one RBI, two stolen bases and six runs scored. The 26-year-old middle infielder is most useful for his speed (16 stolen bases this year), while he's also hitting a solid .283 (71-for-251) with 29 RBI and 38 runs scored in 60 games played in the Windy City.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner made a difference right away in Friday night's 10-1 shellacking of the Philadelphia Phillies in his first game back from the injured list. Out of the leadoff spot, Hoerner went 3-for-6 with two doubles and four RBI. Fantasy managers have to be pretty happy that the 26-year-old infielder hit the ground running right after missing time due to a hamstring injury. He's been great so far for the Cubs, hitting .310 (49-for-158) with eight double, a triple, two home runs, 23 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 25 runs scored in 170 plate appearances over 36 games played. Hoerner will continue to have plenty of value in all fantasy leagues as the Cubs' primary second baseman.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (hamstring) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday. As expected, Hoerner will make his return to the field after a minimal injured list stint due to a hamstring strain. The 25-year-old has been off to a fantastic start, so hopefully the time off won't slow him down. He's slashing .303/.348/.395 with two home runs and 19 RBI, with 12 stolen bases in 35 games. Hoerner will bat leadoff and play second base versus lefty Ranger Suarez on Friday. Fantasy managers should make sure to get him back in there before game time.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (hamstring) is on track to return on Friday, according to manager David Ross. The 26-year-old recently landed on injured list due to a left hamstring strain. Luckily, it appears Hoerner will be ready to return when he's first eligible. That is great news for fantasy managers considering how well Hoerner has been playing this season. He's slashing .303/.348/.395 with two home runs and 19 RBI, with 12 stolen bases in 35 games in 2023.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) was able to do some running on the field prior to Monday's game against the Houston Astros. The 26-year-old was recently placed on the injured list due to a hamstring issue. The organization is hopeful that Hoerner will only need the minimum stint on the injured list. The fact he has been on the field and doing baseball activities is good news. Before landing on the injured list, Hoerner was hitting .303/.348/.395 with two homers, 19 RBI and 12 stolen bases. It sounds like he is progressing well, which is great news for fantasy managers.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) resumed baseball activities on Saturday. He played catch, took some grounders, and went through agility drills prior to Saturday's game. This is an encouraging sign as Hoerner was placed on the IL on Friday. It shouldn't be a long stint on the shelf for the 26-year-old speedster. He should return to the Cubs sometime next week unless he suffers a setback in his recovery.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 9. The 25-year-old suffered the left hamstring strain on Tuesday, but the team was hopeful he'd be able to avoid going on the injured list. Unfortunately, Hoerner hasn't progressed as well as the organization hoped. They'll opt to give him some extra rest and hopefully he'll be able to return after the minimum stint. In a corresponding move, Miles Mastrobuoni has been recalled from the minors. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Mastrobuoni to bring much to the table.

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) is out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The team is considering him day-to-day after he left Monday's contest due hamstring tightness. He underwent an MRI that revealed a mild left hamstring strain. That being said, the Cubs are hopeful Hoerner can avoid the injured list and just sit out for a few games. In the meantime, Christopher Morel will cover second base and bat eighth versus righty Jack Flaherty. Fantasy managers who are looking for an extra bat this week might want to consider snagging Morel. He'll likely see significant playing time while Hoerner is out.

Updating a previous report, Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (hamstring) left Monday's game early against the St. Louis Cardinals due to left-hamstring tightness. Hoerner injured his leg running the bases, and it's currently unknown if he'll need a stint on the injured list. Fantasy managers will want to check back for more information on his injury on Tuesday. Before he left the contest, Hoerner went 0-for-3 and left four runners on base in the 3-1 loss to the visiting Cardinals. The 25-year-old second baseman entered the game hitting a strong .309 (46-for-149) with six doubles, a home run, 19 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 25 runs scored in 161 plate appearances over 34 games. If Hoerner needs a stint on the injured list, Nick Madrigal would likely benefit the most from more playing time at the keystone.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner left his team's Monday night game against the St. Louis Cardinals with an apparent injury. Hoerner injured himself running the bases after he went from first to third on a Dansby Swanson double in the fifth inning. He came up wincing as he pulled up to third and was replaced by pinch-runner Nick Madrigal. Hoerner is hitting .303 with two homers, 25 runs, and 19 RBI in 2023. Look for the Cubs to update his status upon the completion of Monday's game.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBI in a 13-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Hoerner ripped a three-run homer in the fifth inning. The blast traveled 375 feet and had an exit velocity of 98.5 MPH. The 25-year-old infielder is off to an excellent start in 2023, hitting .365 with a homer, 17 runs, nine RBI, and a National League-leading nine stolen bases. Hoerner has worked his way into the conversation as a quality starting option in all fantasy leagues.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner stole his ninth base of the season on Monday, which puts him at the top of the stolen base leaderboard early in the season. Hoerner and his Cubs teammates went off against the A's on Monday, and he collected two hits, three runs, and an RBI in addition to the stolen base as part of a 10-1 rout of the home side. The 25-year-old has yet to hit his first home run of the season but has already scored 16 runs as the club's leadoff hitter while his .779 OPS is serving fantasy managers well early on. He's not likely to hit for much power, but Hoerner is worthy of a fantasy spot, considering his speed and run-scoring upside at the top of the Cubs lineup.

The Chicago Cubs and second baseman Nico Hoerner agreed on a three-year, $35 million contract extension on Monday night, according to sources. The deal buys out one year of free agency, but Hoerner will still hit the open market at 29 years old. Hoerner served as the team's primary shortstop in 2022, but he'll move back to the keystone this year after the Cubs added Dansby Swanson in free agency. The 25-year-old impressed the team by hitting .281/.327/.410 with a .736 OPS, career-high 10 home runs, 55 RBI, 60 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 517 plate appearances and 135 games in 2022 in his fourth MLB season. After last season and now with eligibility at shortstop and second base, Hoerner is attractive as a middle infield option in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.

Chicago Cubs middle infielder Nico Hoerner (biceps) was scratched from Thursday's Cactus League game as a precaution with left biceps tightness. In his place, Miles Mastrobuoni will start at second base and bat ninth in the lineup for the Cubbies against Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson. As long as Hoerner is able to return to game action shortly, he should be ready for Opening Day next week. The 25-year-old will move to the keystone in 2023 after the addition of shortstop Dansby Swanson. He boosted his fantasy appeal last year by hitting .281/.327/.410 with 10 home runs, 55 RBI and 20 stolen bases. Hoerner is mostly valuable for his speed in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner has been named the leadoff hitter for the team, according to manager David Ross on Thursday. Ross believes Hoerner is exactly what the team needs to set the right tone. The 25-year-old is better known for his defensive abilities, but did a quality job with the bat last season. He hit .281/.327/.410 with a .736 OPS, 10 home runs, 55 RBI, 60 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 135 games. A move to the top of the lineup should improve his fantasy value, so Hoerner could be a sneaky addition during fantasy drafts.

The Chicago Cubs avoided salary arbitration with middle infielder Nico Hoerner on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.525 million deal. Hoerner had easily his best big-league season in his fourth year with the Cubs last season, but it still didn't move the needle much in fantasy. In a career-high 135 games played, he hit .281/.327/.410 with a .736 OPS, 10 home runs, 55 RBI, 60 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 517 plate appearances. The 25-year-old was used mostly at shortstop, but he is expected to move back to the keystone in 2023 after the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson this offseason. Hoerner is most valuable to the Cubs for his defense and to fantasy managers for his speed on the basepaths.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Nico Hoerner (triceps) remains out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It remains to be seen if Hoerner will land on the injured list, which would likely end his 2022 season. The 25-year-old has now missed 10 straight games, so it's entirely possible he won't be able to make it back for the final couple of weeks of the season. Hoerner has been very solid for fantasy managers this year, slashing .291/.338/.421 with nine home runs, 49 RBI, 51 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in his 444 at-bats. Rookie Christopher Morel is at shortstop and is batting ninth on Thursday against Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller. The 23-year-old has plenty of power (14 home runs), but he's hitting ninth and has gone 5-for-36 (.139) with a homer and three RBI in 15 games this month.

Chicago Cubs middle infielder Nico Hoerner (triceps) remains out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins. This will be Hoerner's ninth straight game starting on the bench due to his injury, and fantasy managers have to be wondering if he'll land on the injured list to close out the 2022 season at this point. The 25-year-old has had a really solid year in his fourth big-league season, hitting .291/.338/.421 with a career-high nine home runs, 49 RBI, 51 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in 477 plate appearances over 125 games. Zach McKinstry will get the start at the 6 on Wednesday and will hit eighth against Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo. The left-handed-hitting McKinstry should be avoided in DFS while facing a southpaw.