New Free Agent Could Be Ideal Fit for Major Cubs Issue

Although the Cubs made positive strides at the position in the second half of the 2024 season there is no denying that the team must address their catching problem. Unfortunately for the Cubs, there aren't many quality options available on the market, but new free agent Travis d'Arnaud could be an ideal fit on the 2025 roster.

On Monday, the Atlanta Braves declined d'Arnaud's $8 million club option for the 2025 season, officially making the 12-year veteran a free agent.

The Atlanta Braves have declined their $8 million club option on catcher Travis d’Arnaud, sources tell ESPN. He is now a free agent.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 4, 2024

d'Arnaud, 35, played in 99 games for the Braves in 2024, getting more playing time behind the plate as he filled in for an injured Sean Murphy and he delivered for an injury-riddled Atlanta team. The right-handed hitter turned in a 1.8 fWAR season, slashing .238/.302/.436, which was good for a 103 wRC+. d'Arnaud hit 15 home runs, which ranked just outside of the top-10 among all catchers in 2024, despite only having 341 plate appearances, at least a couple hundred fewer trips to the dish than the leaders.

Looking at his age it could be a scary proposition for the Cubs to bring d'Arnaud onboard, but that could come as an advantage if he has to settle for a one-year deal or another 1+1 type of contract. The last couple free agent catchers the Cubs have tried have been poor at best as Yan Gomes put together a solid 2023 season, but then completely lost it and was DFA'd in 2024. Tucker Barnhart only lasted half a year before he was cut loose and despite Miguel Amaya turning his season around, the catching position is a major need that must be addressed by the Cubs this offseason.

What makes d'Arnaud a perfect fit for this Cubs team is you can sign him to a 1 or 2 year deal and you can count on him to be an effective catcher. Yes, he'll be 36-years-old by the time the 2025 season is underway, but d'Arnaud's recent track record is strong. Let's take a look at d'Arnaud's last three years.

Travis d'Arnaud stats 2022-24:
2022 - .268/.319/.472, 121 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR, 18 HR, 107 Games
2023 - .225/.288/.397, 84 wRC+, 0.7 fWAR, 11 HR, 74 Games
2024 - .238/.302/.436, 103 wRC+, 1.8 fWAR, 15 HR, 99 Games

Even when d'Arnaud had a subpar year on offense in 2023, he remained a valuable player at the position with solid defense. In 2024, d'Arnaud had above average marks in blocking and controlling the run game.

Plus, back to his profile on offense, d'Arnaud's batted ball numbers looked good in 2024 as well. He had a 10.4% barrel rate, which finished above his career average, while his hard-hit rate was also in line with his career norm. Sure, an aging player can suddenly decline rapidly, but d'Arnaud doesn't have many signs of that decline happening as soon as 2025.

The Cubs can bring in d'Arnaud, pair him up with Amaya and if either struggle then you still have the opportunity to ease in catching prospect Moises Ballesteros. We know d'Arnaud isn't going to be signing a 3+ year contract, so even if he doesn't work out, it should not hinder the Cubs' future plans at catcher.

Just seems like a great fit. Veteran presence, who has plenty of playoff experience, (57 postseason games with 4 different teams) good bat for the position and the defense is above average.

Outside of a trade there are simply not enough good free agent catchers the Cubs can sign, especially quality hitting catchers because besides d'Arnaud the only other catcher currently on the market who was an above average hitter in 2024 is Kyle Higashioka, who will be 35-years-old next April.

The pickings are slim, so maybe d'Arnaud's asking price soars to a range where the Cubs don't feel comfortable spending, but I hope Jed Hoyer is at the very least exploring the interest level that d'Arnaud may have on signing with the Cubs.