CHICAGO -- It was not the news that Nico Hoerner wanted to hear at the end of Spring Training. But when the infielder walked out of Cubs manager David Ross' office, following the decision not to put him on the Opening Day roster, Hoerner knew he had done his part.
Hoerner prepared for a trip to the alternate training site in South Bend, Ind., knowing the Cubs' decision was based on roster construction and other factors beyond his control. The stuff in Hoerner's power? He had taken care of his end.
"I was really surprised," Hoerner said on Saturday morning. "But, I was proud of the work that I put in in the offseason and how I showed myself in Spring Training. And so, I had no regrets on my own end. I think that makes hard news a lot easier to handle, when you feel like you controlled what you can."
Hoerner is back in the big leagues now -- the promotion came Thursday after Joc Pederson (left wrist) landed on the 10-day injured list -- and was in the starting lineup at shortstop for Saturday's game. As the starting second baseman on Friday, he churned out three hits, including two doubles, in a 15-2 rout of Milwaukee.
That strong showing in his first start back at Wrigley Field sure looked a lot like Hoerner's spring performance. In 17 Cactus League games, the 23-year-old middle infielder hit at a .364 clip (16-for-44) with seven extra-base hits and a 1.055 OPS.
Even with that overwhelming showing, the Cubs opted to give the more seasoned David Bote a chance as the everyday second baseman. Ross then picked veterans Eric Sogard and Matt Duffy for bench jobs, rather than have Hoerner riding the bench.
In South Bend, Hoerner said it was a difficult adjustment initially to go from regular Spring Training games to more of a practice setting and fewer games. He cracked a smile during the Zoom session when asked what he did with his down time.
"I spent a lot of time watching Cubs baseball," Hoerner said.
Hoerner was also asked Saturday about his takeaway from the end-of-spring conversation with Ross. The infielder took 12 seconds to gather his thoughts before answering.
"Everything they said has been true," Hoerner said, "in that, if someone went down I would be here in a starting role, and that's where they see me. That's how I see myself. And so, I think we're on the same page in that way. If I control my end as a player, then I know I'm going to have a good opportunity with the Cubs. And that's a pretty awesome spot to be in.
"Being a starting player in the Major Leagues is something that's got to be earned. And I'll continue to prove that. And I think the opportunity will be there if I do that."
Leaning on Contreras
Willson Contreras' name was in the Cubs' starting lineup on Saturday for the 18th time in the team's first 20 games this season. The catcher also headed into the day leading the Majors with 142 innings behind the plate.
Ross knows first-hand how demanding of a position catching can be, so he appreciates Contreras' ability to play nearly every day. Ross did note that the catcher will have some planned off-days coming.
"It's tough to not write his name in the lineup," Ross said. "You've got to try to find those off-days for them, but it's hard not to put them in there, especially when they're kind of a top-of-the-lineup bat."
Worth noting
• Javier Báez was out of the starting lineup on Saturday, but Ross noted that it was a planned day off (mapped out days in advance) for the All-Star shortstop. Entering Saturday, Báez's 168 innings played were the seventh-most among all Major Leaguers.
• Prior to Saturday's game, the Cubs recalled righty Adbert Alzolay, as planned, to start against the Brewers. To vacate a spot on the active roster, Chicago optioned lefty Kyle Ryan to the alternate training site.
Quotable
"Being separate during the season is something that felt really strange, and makes being back here that much more rewarding. I definitely don't take that for granted because that's what makes playing so much fun." -- Hoerner