Does JD Davis make sense for the Cubs? |
Now that Matt Chapman is off the market and in San Francisco, it's safe to say that the Chicago Cubs are done making significant moves this offseason. Sure, some minor moves could still be made, but in terms of major moves, the Cubs have done what they wanted and are now focussing on the regular season.
One of the biggest questions surrounding this team in spring was what this team would do at 3B. Nick Madrigal and Patrick Wisdom saw the bulk of the action over there last season, but the rise of Christopher Morel threw a wrench into the Cubs plans as Counsell has insisted he wants him in the lineup everyday. The Cubs were rumored to be in the Chapman market for several reasons; seeing him sign with the Giants closed the door on that, leaving the Cubs with Madrigal and Morel as the go-to guys at the hot corner. Now that Madrigal is nursing another hamstring injury to leave an opening day in jeopardy, Morel is the guy ticketed to start at third, with Wisdom and Miles Mastrobuoni as the backup options. Ideally, it's not the best position to be in at the hot corner, but it could certainly be worse. Matt Shaw appears destined to be knocking on the MLB door by the end of the season, as he appears to be the 3B of the future for this team. However, given Madrigal's injury and Morel's overall struggles, the Cubs may be looking to add a player on a flyer deal, and JD Davis comes to mind. Davis was the odd man out in San Francisco after Chapman was acquired, as he plays the same position as Davis. After the Chapman deal became official, the Giants elected to place Davis and his 6.9 million dollar contract on Waivers in the hopes someone would claim him. That didn't happen, as Davis was ultimately released and can now sign with anyone he wants. Considering the Cubs' position at 3B, Davis makes sense on a one-year deal. The Cubs wouldn't have to sign him for that much money, given that the Giants still need to pay his 2024 salary. Teams knew that Davis won his arbitration case, and should he be released, they could sign him for a fraction of what he was scheduled to make. Why put a claim on a player set to make seven million when you can now have him for two million or less? Sticking with the Cubs, for example, Davis is not only a 3B but has seen time at 2B and 1B, giving the Cubs another utility-type player they could plug into the lineup. 3B is where he would see the most time, and you could make a case that he is an upgrade over Madrigal, but not quite an upgrade over Morel, especially offensively. Adding him to a veteran's minimum would be a win-win for the Cubs, but is he worth adding to the 40-man roster or even the 26-man opening-day roster, knowing the roster crunch the Cubs are already going through? If you look at his track record, the answer would be yes, but this is a team that is trying to get younger, not older, and Davis has seen his best days pass him by. According to Shadev Sharma of The Athletic, the Cubs love Davis' offense, but don't see him as a defensive upgrade at the hot corner despite the questions about whether or not Morel can handle third. They like his bat enough that they will ultimately have discussions to sign him, which could mean the end of the road for either Wisdom or Madrigal. I think Madrigal would be the odd man out, as someone would trade for him, even for a lower-level prospect. As mentioned, the Cubs love Davis' bat. From 2019-22, Davis was a combined .276 hitter, which would put him as a top-three hitter average-wise in the Cubs lineup. Not much of a power guy, Davis averaged 12 homers and 41 RBIs during that stretch, with a career-best 22 homers and 57 RBIs in 2019. Davis was traded to the Giants during the 2022 season before falling completely off the map in 2023. Despite playing 144 games last season, Davis hit just .248, tied for his lowest batting average when playing a minimum of 100 games. He did show an increase in power with 18 homers while also driving in a career-best 69 RBIs. The 18 homers were the second-highest total of his career, so at the very least, he still has a little pop in that bat. Even if he isn't the best defender out there, Davis did rate out well defensively for the first time in his career. However, at the age of 30, some are wondering if he can keep that out for a couple more years. Regardless, the fit is there for Davis on the Cubs when you look at the position he plays, and he fits their financial goal of not breaking the bank.
