Cubs agree to deal with catcher Barnhart (sources)
CHICAGO — The anticipated departure of All-Star catcher Willson Contreras this offseason pressured the Cubs to rethink their strategy to that side of their roster. It turned more and more clear that Chicago’s plan was extra of a defense-first technique.
On Thursday, sources instructed MLB.com that the Cubs agreed to a two-year take care of free-agent catcher Tucker Barnhart, who boasts a pair of Gold Glove Awards on his resume. The contract is price $6.5 million assured, and the 2024 season is included by way of a participant possibility, in accordance with a supply.
The Cubs haven’t confirmed the deal, which is pending a bodily.
Barnhart gives a lefty bat to pair with veteran catcher Yan Gomes, who joined the Cubs final season and shortly received over Chicago’s pitchers. Contreras and Gomes fashioned a powerful tandem, however the possibilities of them persevering with on collectively have been formally erased when Contreras inked a five-year, $85.5 million deal with the Cardinals.
The Cubs practically dealt Contreras on the Trade Deadline final 12 months — a one-for-one deal for Houston pitcher José Urquidy fell aside on the final minute, sources confirmed — so the staff was totally ready for his exit this offseason. That helped Chicago map out its strategy to the place.
“It’s a two-way position,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer mentioned on the GM Meetings in November. “Obviously, you want guys that can hit, but it’s a run-prevention position. So much of it is game-calling, preparation, feeling strongly about that everything that pitchers do is a ‘we’ thing. It’s about that teamwork and that collaboration.”
Losing Contreras’ offensive manufacturing (.815 OPS and 128 OPS+ in 2022) hurts, however the Cubs can hope to make up a few of that by way of the free-agent signings of heart fielder Cody Bellinger and Dansby Swanson. Chicago is unquestionably not completed exploring methods so as to add a bat, both.
Free-agent choices Christian Vázquez (three-year, $30 million take care of the Twins) and Omar Narváez (two-year, $15 million take care of the Mets) got here off the board, as did Luke Maile (Reds), Mike Zunino (Guardians) and Austin Hedges (Pirates) by way of one-year offers. Sean Murphy seemed like a possible match, however the A’s traded him to the Braves — in a three-team deal that, in flip, shipped catcher William Contreras, Willson’s youthful brother, to the rival Brewers.
The Cubs discovered their slot in Barnhart, who’s greater than acquainted with the membership after suiting up for the Reds throughout the 2014-21 seasons. He took residence Gold Glove Awards in ’17 and ’20, along with his greatest offensive season coming in ’17, when he hit .270 with a .750 OPS and 95 OPS+ for Cincinnati.
Barnhart’s defensive numbers took a success in ’22 (-8 defensive runs saved and -2.3 framing runs), however that was a departure from his monitor file. And whereas his offensive splits have been comparatively even final season, he has a historical past of performing higher in opposition to righties (.705 OPS) than lefties (.580 OPS) for his profession.
Gomes, 35, has constructed a powerful popularity over his 11 MLB seasons for working with pitchers, adjusting in-game and controlling the working sport. Last season, the veteran was a significantly better hitter within the second half (.743 OPS) than within the first (.542 OPS), as his familiarity and luxury with the pitchers elevated.
“With Bellinger and Dansby coming on board, it seems like they’re gonna take a big step forward defensively,” Taillon mentioned. “That excited me, and I’ve heard really, really great things about working with Yan Gomes from the catching side. We talked about all of that.”
From right here, the Cubs will proceed to look to construct up their depth across the roster.
“We’re trying to figure out around the edges, what are the different places that maybe we can continue to add?” Cubs basic supervisor Carter Hawkins mentioned this week. “That’s something that we’ll be looking at in terms of our bullpen, and then thinking about just, ‘You can never have enough arms,’ and thinking about the different major positions in the team up the middle.”
