The Cubs second baseman is in the middle of one of the worst slumps of his career. A year removed from a .297/.345/.394 slash line, the cornerstone player’s numbers currently sit at .237/.317/.332 for the 2026 season. For a player who has some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the big leagues, Hoerner’s slump is all the more puzzling. What exactly is going on?

Bottom of the ninth. One of the fastest runners in baseball is standing on third base. One of the best contact hitters in all of baseball is standing in the box. There’s one out in a one run situation. You’re the manager; what do you do here?