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CHICAGO (AP) — Nico Horner heard the same message over and over again from the Chicago Cubs: He was a favorite shortstop and a trusted second baseman.

Matters were resolved when the Cubs acquired Gold Glove shortstop Dansby Swanson out of free agency.

Athletic’s Herner is back at second base after Swanson signed a $177 million seven-year deal with Chicago last month. Horner and Swanson should give the Cubs one of the best double play combinations in the majors.

“It was a big move for the direction of this team,” said Horner. “Last year we got an impact player who literally played every game. I guess.”

A first-round pick in the 2018 Amateur Draft from Stanford, the 25-year-old Hellner has played second base in 68 big league games, including 53 starts. However, he spent all of last season at shortstop.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play shortstop in the major leagues,” Horner said Friday on the first day of the team’s fan convention. “We have to do a full season this year.

“But our team’s needs are very clear and moving forward is not a problem at all.”

Swanson’s move was part of an active winter for the Cubs, who went 74-88 on a two-game losing streak last year. They also added right-hander Jameson Tyrone, outfielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Eric Hosmer, reliever Brad Boxberger and catcher Tucker Barnhart to free agency.

Hosmer’s $720,000 one-year contract was completed on Friday, naming right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. Hosmer, 33, batted .268 with eight homers and 44 RBIs in 104 games last season playing in San Diego and Boston.

Baseball operations president Jed Hoyer said Hosmer is likely to be the team’s starting first baseman.

“It’s an opportunity to bring in a guy who’s had a really good year and a really good career,” Hoyer said. … I think we have good years left when we put him in our environment. “

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Follow Jay Cohen at https://twitter.com/jcohenap.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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