Getty Veteran slugger J.D. Martinez is still a free agent. Should the Chicago Cubs pursue him to give manager Craig Counsell a proven power bat?
The Chicago Cubs have made some big splashes for their 2024 roster this offseason. After signing manager Craig Counsell to a $40 million deal, they also brought in Shōta Imanaga for the starting rotation and re-signed outfielder Cody Bellinger. Veteran slugger J.D. Martinez is still on the free-agent market as Opening Day nears. Should Chicago bring him to the Windy City?
Sports Illustrated’s Brad Wakai thinks the Cubs should consider it. “Jed Hoyer and his staff certainly were able to address areas of need by adding a starting pitcher, Major League bullpen pieces, lineup depth, and getting back their star slugger,” he said. “However, there are a few players throughout this roster that are prime candidates to regress in 2024. On the offensive side, those names are Cody Bellinger and Christopher Morel.”
Wakai pointed to Bellinger struggling with the Los Angeles Dodgers between 2020 and 2022 before his resurgent 2023 with Chicago as one of his reasons. He also mentioned that Morel will get more chances to perform in 2024 with the Cubs. However, that could come with growing pains for the 24-year-old. Signing someone like Martinez could boost Counsell’s lineup while providing insurance if certain players regress.
The right-handed slugger hit 33 home runs with 103 RBI in just 479 plate appearances for the Dodgers in 2023. A three-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Martinez was named an All-Star last year for the sixth time in his career. Spotrac has pegged his market value at $15.4 million.
The National League Central Is up for Grabs
If there’s any division within Major League Baseball that’s up for grabs in 2024, it’s definitely the NL Central.
Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections currently have the St. Louis Cardinals recovering from a last-place finish in 2023 to take home the 2024 divisional crown. However, their 84.2-win projection is easily the lowest in baseball for a division winner. The next lowest is the Minnesota Twins. PECOTA is projecting them to win the American League Central with 89.8 wins.
Meanwhile, the Cubs have a win projection of 81.6 to go along with a 39.5% chance of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2020.
FanGraphs’ Roster Resource projects Bellinger to hit third and Morel to hit fourth in Chicago’s lineup. Adding Martinez would strengthen the middle of Counsell’s order by accomplishing two things. He’d provide proven protection for Bellinger while also taking some pressure off Morel to be the club’s main run producer.
Adding Martinez Would Complicate Some Things
The one downfall to the Cubs going after Martinez would be his lack of defensive versatility. He’s a true designated hitter, having played just 39 games in the outfield since the start of 2021, per Baseball-Reference.
Adding Martinez to the fold would handcuff Counsell from using the DH spot as a rotating door to keep players fresh and sharp, which Wakai notes. It’s also still undetermined whether Morel will get the majority of his at-bats there or elsewhere in 2024.
He entered camp with the opportunity to focus on playing third base. However, his lack of defense has forced the Cubs to continue wondering if it’d be a good idea for him to man the hot corner on Opening Day and beyond.
Wakai also said the Cubs’ front office probably isn’t seriously thinking about making a run at Martinez. But when a proven player continues to linger on the open market, it could become more tantalizing to teams who had initially ruled out the possibility.
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