ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan called Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner the “perfect transaction” for the Seattle Mariners in an article written on Friday.

The article, which centered on the most intriguing teams this offseason, pointed to Hoerner’s affordability, club control and contact rate as the main reasons that the M’s should want to acquire him.

Per Passan:

More than anything, though, the Mariners need impact bats. Particularly hitters who can produce without striking out, an admittedly challenging thing to find — and even tougher when the top end of the free agent market is off limits. Creativity with trades is one of the organization’s best qualities, and if dipping into prospect capital is the price to pay for parsimonious ownership, then pay it Seattle must. The Mariners’ window to win is open, and they should not let another year go by without taking full advantage of it.

The perfect transaction: Acquire second baseman Nico Hoerner from the Cubs.

The idea of acquiring Hoerner makes even more sense considering it was reported on Friday that the M’s only have approximately $16 million to spend in free agency this offseason. If that’s true, the M’s won’t find the kind of impact they need on the market, so they’d have to turn to a trade, as Passan suggests.

Hoerner is a Gold Glove second baseman (desirable), just 27 years old (also desirable), under team control for the next two seasons (also desirable), and only owed approximately $11.5 million in each of the next two seasons (also a good thing). Furthermore, Hoerner runs well (31 stolen bases in 2024) and doesn’t strike out much (10.3 %). The $11.5 million per year may still prove too rich for the M’s, but if the Cubs were to eat some of the money, there might be a match here.

Hoerner is coming off flexor tendon surgery in his throwing elbow, and that uncertainty might lead the Cubs to eat some money as well. He is expected to be healthy for the 2025 campaign.