Baseball moves fast. Big moments often happen between pitches. When tensions rise, teammates must protect each other. If they hesitate, they might feel bad about it later. For one Chicago Cubs star, one such moment happened in a recent game against the Dodgers. A single comment from a rival has been echoing in Nico Hoerner’s head for days, long after the game ended.

“I wish that I had confronted him a little more directly, to be honest. I was pretty taken aback in the middle of my at-bat,” Nico Hoerner said on the “Spiegel and Holmes” podcast on Tuesday.

During Saturday’s game between Chicago and Los Angeles, Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya stood on first base. Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki threw a pitch in the dirt. Amaya took off running. He slid safely into second base just before catcher Dalton Rushing could throw him out.

As Amaya slid in, Rushing was seen muttering something questionable. Although he wasn’t heard, people tried to read his lips by going over the video again and again. Apparently, many fans are convinced that Rushing called Amaya a “fat f–k.” 

“It was just kind of a strange thing to experience, so, yeah, I felt a little weird about that,” Hoerner added. 

Nicholas Mackie Hoerner was expected to hit free agency in March 2026 after completing three years with the Cubs. But Chicago decided not to part ways with the 28-year-old elite defensive second baseman in his prime. So they signed a six-year, $141 million deal with the star. 

As a result, Hoerner’s camaraderie toward his teammates now has him regretting not stepping up for Amaya. 

“I’m not saying I should’ve like tackled the guy or anything, but still a little taken aback,” he added. “At the end of the day, you just wanna have your teammates’ backs.

However, this wasn’t atypical of Rushing since he had a very similar instance during the Dodgers’ previous series with the Giants. The catcher was seen mouthing “f–k ‘em” after Jung Hoo Lee injured himself trying to get to the home plate. 

Although Dalton Rushing later said that it wasn’t directed toward Lee or his injury, it painted an insensitive picture around him. 

Nico Hoerner feels that he should have said something to Rushing after Saturday’s incident. He regrets his delayed action and lack of accountability to his teammates.

Nico Hoerner’s regret reflects clubhouse standards across baseball

Rushing’s previous comments regarding the Giants player had some consequences. San Francisco superstar Logan Webb delivered an HBP to Dalton’s ribs in the very next game. This is exactly the type of camaraderie Hoerner expected from himself. 

And Webb’s pitch isn’t a standalone example for backing one’s teammates. 

During a 2023 game, Rockies pitcher Jake Bird struck out a batter and started clapping and taunting the Phillies dugout. Bryce Harper took offense to it and immediately charged out of the dugout. He pushed Elias Diaz and went straight for Bird. He wanted to defend his teammates and happily accepted the ejection.

In another game between the Dodgers and the Padres, Aa Dodgers pitcher hit Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. This led to both benches being cleared and both managers getting tossed. Later in the inning, San Diego closer Robert Suarez drilled Shohei Ohtani with a 100 mph fastball. Suarez was instantly ejected and later suspended.

This is exactly why Hoerner regrets his lack of reaction. He was there when Rushing was allegedly being disrespectful to his teammate. He recognized the moment but failed to act on it. 

Nico Hoerner’s honest introspection makes the game special, as much as the examples of retaliation. A clear and quick response is expected from the teammates. But Nico’s realization doesn’t fall short by any means.