The Chicago Cubs went 83-79 in 2023, marking their first winning season since 2020 (34-26). They want to return to the postseason in 2024. Ahead of Opening Day, they need to decide on a starting third baseman. Despite having internal options, they are considering bringing in former San Francisco Giants According to a March 14 report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post , it's still a possibility. “J.D. Martinez is also being considered by the
, as well as the ,and Cubs are also potential options for him.” MetsDavis was set to earn $6.9 million with the San Francisco Giants in 2024. Despite performing well this spring, his presence created a logjam after San Francisco officially Angelssigned free-agent third baseman Matt Chapman Jays was released and given $1.1 million of termination pay
Leading into spring training, the Cubs were hoping Christopher Morel, Patrick Wisdom, or Nick Madrigal would take on the opportunity at third base. However, that hasn't happened, as president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer mentioned to reporters on March 14. So, he . He said, “That’s the one area I think is a little bit uncertain so far, and we have a couple more weeks to figure that out.”.
The Cubs had hoped Morel would take advantage of this opportunity Morel had been the subject of trade rumors over the winter. When asked about it at CubsCon in January, Hoyer denied any likelihood of Chicago possibly trading the right-handed hitter. However, the uncertainty regarding Morel was which position he’d play.With an opening at third base, Morel has been
allowed to focus on one position
instead of moving around the diamond. Unfortunately,his defense hasn’t been consistent enough yet for the Cubs to feel comfortable playing him there regularly.Morel’s batting performance is not in question for the upcoming season. He made notable progress at the plate during his second big-league campaign in 2023. If the Cubs do bring in Davis, manager Craig Counsell will need to find ways to keep Morel in the lineup and sharp in the field.
Davis Would at Least Keep the Position Warm for Matt Shaw The Cubs are not the only team talking to Davis about joining their squad. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that seven teams have reached out to him. He’d be a short-term solution to stabilize the hot corner. But would he stay in that spot all year, or will top prospect Matt Shaw eventually take over? Mike Axisa of CBS Sports predicted on March 1 that Shaw would become Chicago’s starting third baseman by the end of the regular season. The 22-year-old has caught the attention during Cactus League action. He’s recorded just seven hits in 36 plate appearances, but
six of them have been hit for extra bases
. This consists of two doubles, two triples and one home run.
The Cubs are still unsure about who will be their third baseman on Opening Day 2024. Can J.D. Davis solve this issue? Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that seven teams have reached out to him. He’d be a short-term solution to stabilize the hot corner. But would he stay in that spot all year, or will fast-moving top prospect Matt Shaw eventually make him step aside?
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports predicted on March 1 that Shaw would become Chicago’s starting third baseman by the end of the regular season. The 22-year-old has turned some heads during Cactus League action, as well. He’s registered just seven hits in 36 plate appearances, but six of them have gone for extra bases. This includes two doubles, two triples and one home run.
