Looking for a veteran to add to their roster, the Chicago Cubs are currently in serious talks with Eric Hosmer so he can join them for next season.
Hosmer, 33, played much of his 12-season career in Kansas City, where he won the World Series in 2015. In 2018, he joined the San Diego Padres and was traded to the Red Sox of Boston at the end of the last campaign.
In a Red Sox uniform, he broke nothing on offense (.225) and missed six weeks of action with back pain before returning to play for the last two games of the regular schedule. The emergence of young Triston Casas, who is ready to make the jump to occupy the first base, made the presence of Hosmer superfluous in Boston.
The peculiarity with Hosmer is that his salary of 13 million dollars will be assumed by the Padres for the next three seasons. The team that retains his services will only have to pay him minimum wage when he is in active training.
The Cubs are also reportedly eyeing another veteran who can hit hard, and that’s Trey Mancini. The latter is three years younger than Hosmer and he has just won the World Series in the uniform of the Houston Astros. His departure from Baltimore caused a lot of talk last season, as the Orioles were still battling for a playoff spot when he made his way to Texas.
Hosmer has won four Golden Gloves in his career, in addition to being the recipient of a Silver Stick in 2017. In addition, he represented the Royals in the All-Star Game in 2016. In 2011, he finished third rank for the title of rookie player of the year in the American, just behind Jeremy Hellickson (Rays) and Mark Trumbo (Angels).
In 2023, the Chicago Cubs will show a new face with the arrival of Cody Bellinger, Dansby Swanson, Jameson Taillon and Tucker Barnhart.
Hosmer, who hits from the left, would add consistency on offense and defense, he who has a career batting average of .277.
