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By Jackson Roberts
Contributing Sports Writer
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Alex Bregman's arrival with the Chicago Cubs created an interesting dynamic, centering one of the most basic details about a player's identity.
Bregman had worn No. 2 his entire professional career, an homage to his second-overall selection in the 2015 draft. Ironically enough, the lone player drafted before him was Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, who will become his partner on the left side of the infield this year.
On Wednesday, the Cubs announced the Bregman signing, four days after it was first reported that the three-time All-Star had agreed to a five-year, $175 million contract to come to Chicago. And Bregman will change his jersey number for the first time in his career, which carries significant weight because of who already owned his old one.
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Bregman is officially listed on the Cubs' roster wearing jersey No. 3, a change which was first reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today. No. 2 belongs to Nico Hoerner, the Cubs' two-time Gold Glove-winning second baseman, who has been the subject of rampant trade speculation since Bregman's signing was reported.
On Tuesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the San Francisco Giants were making a significant push to trade for Hoerner, a Bay Area native who played his college baseball at nearby Stanford. The next day, Passan connected Hoerner to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees as well.
Certainly, it makes sense that Bregman would change his number in deference to Hoerner, who has been in the Cubs organization since 2018, when they drafted him 24th overall. And the club also wasn't going to delay announcing the Bregman signing until it decided once and for all whether it wanted to trade Hoerner away.
At the very least, though, Bregman's number swap is a reminder to the Cubs that Hoerner is a foundational piece. Trading him, though it might help restock the farm system, not to mention giving Bregman back a small piece of his identity, would come with significant blowback from the fan base.
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