Cubs add Nido to catching mix, DFA Yan Gomes

CHICAGO -- In his three seasons with the Cubs, it did not take Yan Gomes long to gain respect around the clubhouse and earn trust behind the plate. The veteran was an influential voice in the room and played a role in the development of a group of Chicago’s younger players.

As the Cubs try to overcome the team-wide issues that have risen to the surface over the past six weeks, the club is searching for areas in need of an upgrade. As impactful as Gomes was behind the scenes, his on-field production diminished to the point of Chicago deciding to designate the catcher for assignment on Wednesday morning.

The Cubs signed veteran catcher Tomás Nido to an MLB deal to assume Gomes’ place on the roster.

“It was a tough decision,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Yan is a great teammate and an important person in the clubhouse. But in the end, we just felt like we had to make an attempt to try to get more production out of the catching spot. That’s what kind of instigated the move.”

To Counsell’s point, here is how the Cubs’ catchers ranked offensively in the Majors, heading into play on Wednesday:

Batting average: .175 (28th)
On-base percentage: .221 (28th)
Slugging percentage: .258 (29th)
On-base plus slugging: .479 (28th)
Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+): 37 (28th)

The 36-year-old Gomes hit .267 with a .723 OPS in 116 games as the Cubs’ primary catcher last season while showing off a knack for clutch hitting (.302 average with two outs and runners in scoring position). While transitioning to the backup role behind Miguel Amaya this year, Gomes hit .154/.179/.242 with 36 strikeouts in 96 plate appearances (33 games).

The Cubs picked up a $6 million player option in Gomes’ contract for this season.

A veteran of 13 MLB seasons, Gomes also experienced a drop-off behind the plate this season. Per Statcast, he posted -3 framing runs, -1 blocks above average and -4 defensive runs overall. While Cubs pitchers continued to pay Gomes compliments for his game-calling and veteran insight, the overall defensive picture was lagging.

In Nido, the team is getting a catcher with a solid defensive reputation.

“We’re just trying to get upgraded to give us more chances to win,” Counsell said. “So the whole player for sure matters. The defensive part of it matters. He’s an excellent receiver. And that’s important. It’s the whole package, certainly.”

Nido, 30, was released by the Mets on Monday after spending parts of the past eight seasons in the Majors with New York. The catcher hit .229 with a .622 OPS in 32 games this year, which is the second under a two-year, $3.7 million pact. Per Statcast, Nido has posted two defensive runs, three blocks above average and is in the 87th percentile in caught stealings above average.

“I’m very excited to get to compete with these guys,” Nido said on Wednesday. “[I’ll be watching] a lot of videos, a lot of watching how they’ve pitched this year and their history. And just talking to Amaya as well. It’s a special group of guys, good pitching, and I’m very excited to be able to handle that staff.”

Counsell was not ready to say how the innings might be distributed between Amaya and Nido, but he noted that the new catcher would be using Wednesday and Thursday to dive into the details of Chicago’s staff. The manager added that it also could help that Nido and the Cubs are hosting the Mets for a three-game series this coming weekend.

In his first full season as the Cubs’ top catcher, the 25-year-old Amaya has hit .188/.250/.268 through 52 games. While he has done well in blocking (three runs above average, per Statcast), he has struggled to control the running game. Counsell believes Amaya has the potential to grow into a more complete catcher.

“He is getting better through this process,” Counsell said. “As far as game calling, the receiving, I think Miguel’s in a really good place. Throwing has been a struggle a little bit. And I think that’s a team thing -- pitchers and Miguel contribute to that. That’s certainly an area [to improve].

“Really, it’s not arm strength. I think it’s some accuracy issues he’s had. … But he will get better offensively, and I think there’s a good offensive player in there. Sometimes you've got to go through this to get there.”