Pass or Pursue: Should the Cubs re-sign these 5 free agents this offseason?
By Luke Norris
Yan Gomes, C
David Ross knows what a solid catcher can do for a baseball team, and he's undoubtedly got a valuable one in Yan Gomes.
Okay, so the Cubs certainly didn't get the offensive production from the catcher spot that Willson Contreras provided for years. But that's not why Gomes was brought to Chicago. He was signed to be a veteran leader on the field and to provide a capable bat in the Cubs' lineup. And that's what he's given the North Siders the past two seasons.
Entering Sunday's season finale, Gomes had a solid slash line of .267/.315/.408 with 10 home runs and 63 runs batted in. He's also been a solid defender, committing just six errors on the year (that's two less than Contreras, by the way), and is a magnificent game-caller. The vast majority of the Cubs' pitchers have lower ERAs when he's behind the plate.
Catcher is easily one of the most challenging positions to replace, and there's no reason the Cubs' front office should even consider doing that this offseason, especially given how cheap Gomes is to retain. The team holds a $6 million option for the 2024 campaign, and management needs to just go ahead and exercise it as quickly as possible.
Verdict: Pursue