CHICAGO – One of the positions of need for the Cubs in 2023 is at first base, and the club had added a veteran to try and fill it this upcoming season.

Per numerous reports, the first from Jesse Rogers of ESPN, the team has agreed to a deal with veteran Eric Hosmer. Terms of the contract have yet to be disclosed and the Cubs have yet to officially confirm the move.

Per Rogers, they will pay Hosmer the minimum while the Padres continue to pay the final three years of the eight-year, $144 million contract he signed with the club before the 2018 season.

Hosmer has played in the majors for 12 seasons and was most recently with the Red Sox, whom he was traded to in August from the Padres after spending four-and-a-half seasons in San Diego.

That was preceded by seven seasons with the Royals where he was an All-Star in 2016 and was a four-time American League Gold Glove winner at first base (2013-2015, 2017). Hosmer helped the Royals to the AL pennant in 2014 and the World Series championship in 2015.

In San Diego in 2022, Hosmer hit .272/.336/.391 with 16 doubles, eight homers, and 40 RBI in 90 games with the Padres. He’d take the field with the Red Sox 14 games after the trade, he hit .244 with three doubles and four RBI.

Hosmer didn’t play for Boston in the postseason and was designated for assignment in December before his outright release.

In 1,658 major league games, Hosmer is a .277 hitter with 319 doubles, 196 homers, and 879 RBI while sporting a .994 fielding percentage at first base.

With the Cubs looking for a permanent first baseman, there is a strong chance that Hosmer will be in the starting lineup for the team once spring training breaks in Mesa.