MLB fans react to Chicago Cubs designating Eric Hosmer for assignment: "Padres ruined him" "Almost like we knew this would happen"

With the team in a freefall in the National League standings, the Chicago Cubs have designated struggling hitter Eric Hosmer.

Hosmer, a one-time multiple Gold Glove-winning first baseman, saw his batting average plummet this season and was unable to provide the Cubs with much reason to continue his employ.

Eric Hosmer came to the Chicago Cubs with the promise of being a temporary spot-filler for a team looking for veteran leadership to complement its growing roster of strong young talent.

While no one figured he'd be a "Cub for life," he was hitting a full 40 points below his career batting average of .276 heading into the weekend. With Chicago now cutting loose of him, Hosmer is perilously close to having the tag of "journeyman" placed upon him.

The Chicago Cubs signed Eric Hosmer to the major league minimum of $720,000 to be the team's stopgap first baseman until rookie prospect Matt Mervis was deemed ready for the majors.

However, Mervis got the call to the majors two weeks ago and has started 10 games at first base. With the Cubs already employing Trey Mancini, who has many similar skills to Hosmer but is hitting better, Hosmer suddenly found himself without much of a role on the team.

Given that Hosmer was hitting just .234 with two home runs in 31 games, there wasn't a spot for an aging veteran on a middle-of-the-pack Cubs team looking to develop its next round of MLB talent.

Hosmer still has the remainder of his $13 million contract for 2023 being paid by the San Diego Padres.

The Padres traded Hosmer to the Boston Red Sox last summer, but he was released by the club in December and inked by the Cubs in January.

Recognized as one of the "good guys" in the game, he is still reviled by most Padres fans, who wish him nothing but ill will as he now looks for his fourth MLB team since the start of the 2022 season.

Even though Eric Hosmer spent seven of his 13 major-league seasons with the Kansas City Royals, most people think of him in a Padres uniform, where a once solid MLB career went sour.

Chicago Cubs had little use for Eric Hosmer

Eric Hosmer #51 of the Chicago Cubs argues a third strike with umpire Edwin Jimenez

With the Chicago Cubs going 8-18 over the last calendar month's worth of games, there became little reason for the team to hang on to a veteran "clubhouse guy" like Hosmer unless he was going to tangibly produce.