Following his pit stop in Boston, Eric Hosmer reportedly is on the verge of returning to the National League.
Hosmer and the Chicago Cubs are "close to a deal," per a report Tuesday night from the New York Post's Jon Heyman. The veteran first baseman became a free agent Dec. 22 when he was released by the Red Sox, who initially designated Hosmer for assignment to make a 40-man roster spot after a trade with the Kansas City Royals.
The 33-year-old Hosmer, who initially was supposed to land with the Washington Nationals last summer as a result of the Juan Soto blockbuster, was traded by the San Diego Padres to Boston ahead of the 2022 Major League Baseball trade deadline. Hosmer only appeared in 14 games for the Red Sox and collected a .244 batting average with no home runs and four RBIs across 50 at-bats.
Hosmer is set to join a Cubs team that as of Wednesday morning has 60-1 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook to win the 2023 World Series. The 12-year big league veteran reportedly was also drawing interest from the upstart Baltimore Orioles.
