Feinsand: Cubs Showing Interest in Josh Rojas

[Bertz]

Following the Kyle Tucker trade, Cubs' GM Carter Hawkins indicated that the team would look to free agency to help backfill the 3B production the team lost with Isaac Paredes headed to Houston.  Mark Feinsand reports today that the Cubs are looking at former Mariners and Diamondbacks infielder Josh Rojas.

It seems all but certain that Matt Shaw is being eyed as the primary 3B for 2025, but given his limited time in AAA and then risk associated with just handing any rookie a full time job, and strong backup is a necessity.  Josh Rojas is a strong defender and a solid hitter, and as a lefty can help compliment Shaw by taking matchups versus tough righties.  Rojas can also cover 2B, possibly useful if Nico Hoerner's recovery from surgery stretches into the new season.

Rojas was non-tendered by the Mariners last month, and was projected by MLBTR to make $4.3M in arbitration.  Therefore even on the open market it's unlikely he costs more than about $5M per year to sign.

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[KCCub]

Rojas always seemed like the obvious match for what the Cubs need at 3b/util. 

[Post Count Padder]

10 minutes ago, KCCub said:

Rojas always seemed like the obvious match for what the Cubs need at 3b/util. 

Yeah agreed. Can play anywhere, hits a little, plays great defense, shouldn't cost much. Lotta people here have been singling him out all offseason. Then that leaves Workman and Brujan to battle it out for one spot.

[Rcal10]

34 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

Yeah agreed. Can play anywhere, hits a little, plays great defense, shouldn't cost much. Lotta people here have been singling him out all offseason. Then that leaves Workman and Brujan to battle it out for one spot.

I think the guy they get for insurance if Shaw struggles should also be able to play first base and give Busch a day off from time to time. That as a criteria doesn’t match with Rojas.  

[KCCub]

25 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I think the guy they get for insurance if Shaw struggles should also be able to play first base and give Busch a day off from time to time. That as a criteria doesn’t match with Rojas.  

They’ll most likely add a RH bench bat that can play 1b, e.g. Canha, etc.

[Bertz]

5 minutes ago, KCCub said:

They’ll most likely add a RH bench bat that can play 1b, e.g. Canha, etc.

Yeah Canha/Rojas/Kelly/Brujan is a pretty strong bench.  Should still leave plenty of financial room for the rest of the pitching we want too.

I wonder if they'd let Canha play CF.  He's fast enough for it but hasn't done it regularly in several years.  Maybe at Wrigley with its tiny CF?

[Rcal10]

21 minutes ago, KCCub said:

They’ll most likely add a RH bench bat that can play 1b, e.g. Canha, etc.

I feel Kelly, Canario and a bench guy that can play 1st and 3rd would be 3 bench spots. The 4th would be a utility infielder. I don’t see them adding 2 pieces to the bench. I am not saying you are wrong. I just don’t think they will do this. I think they will spend the money they have on 2 pen arms, 1 starting pitcher and 1 bat. 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Rcal10

[Stratos]

Josh rojas sucks but so do most of the other non-Bregman 3b so as long as he doesn't cost much whatevs.  

[Stratos]

59 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I feel Kelly, Canario and a bench guy that can play 1st and 3rd would be 3 bench spots. The 4th would be a utility infielder. I don’t see them adding 2 pieces to the bench. I am not saying you are wrong. I just don’t think they will do this. I think they will spend the money they have on 2 pen arms, 1 starting pitcher and 1 bat. 

They may prefer a bench guy to play 2b over 1b given Nico's surgery.  

[Rcal10]

41 minutes ago, Stratos said:

They may prefer a bench guy to play 2b over 1b given Nico's surgery.  

Bruján, Cowles, Workman or even Vasquez would be a utility player who would fill in at second. But who fills in at 1st to give Busch a day off when a tough lefty pitches? If Rojas is the bench bat, and also left handed who covers first? I agree they need someone for 2nd base. But during the year who covers first? Again, the 4th guy (utility IF would cover second if they needed him to. But who plays first? I would rather the bench  at be right handed so he covers 1st and 3rd. 

[Rcal10]

49 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Josh rojas sucks but so do most of the other non-Bregman 3b so as long as he doesn't cost much whatevs.  

What is not much to you? Rojas had a WAR of 2 last season. Is $6M too much? Honestly, who do you expect them to get that you wouldn’t say he sucks and at what cost do you belief they should spend? Rojas might be the best of the bunch and you said he sucks. My only issue with him is if they did get him I would imagine they would also then want to get a right handed bat who can cover first. Which means spending more money to fill the bench. Which means less for the pitchers. And I am not a fan of that. 

[Stratos]

8 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

What is not much to you? Rojas had a WAR of 2 last season. Is $6M too much? Honestly, who do you expect them to get that you wouldn’t say he sucks and at what cost do you belief they should spend? Rojas might be the best of the bunch and you said he sucks. My only issue with him is if they did get him I would imagine they would also then want to get a right handed bat who can cover first. Which means spending more money to fill the bench. Which means less for the pitchers. And I am not a fan of that. 

Well as I said, virtually all the other options suck too.  6m is probably too much.  His fielding the last 2 seasons is probably influenced by luck, like his hitting was in 21-22 due to high BABIP.  Seems more an average fielder, maybe a bit above average.  I don't know his scouting because he was a 26th round pick and a non-prospect.

[Backtobanks]

Hoyer believes in quantity over quality when it comes to 3B, backup IF, and relief pitchers.

[Michael Busch Light]

Rojas is a decent player.  Plays really good defense at 3B and 2B.  He can steal a bag and take a walk.  Has a little pop.  His bat just died last year in Seattle.  We could do worse though. 

[Rcal10]

24 minutes ago, Michael Busch Light said:

Rojas is a decent player.  Plays really good defense at 3B and 2B.  He can steal a bag and take a walk.  Has a little pop.  His bat just died last year in Seattle.  We could do worse though. 

I agree he is a fine player. But he doesn’t solve the problem of a right handed bat to play 1st when giving Busch a day off against a rough lefty. If they sign him do they then add another bench bat? And if they did, does that guy also play the outfield and take Canario’s spot or is he the utility infielder? I just don’t see them putting $12-$15M into bench bats when they only have $40M to spend. I would rather they get 2 pen arms and a starting pitcher with most of that money and spend maybe $5M to $8M on one bench bat. 

[KCCub]

23 minutes ago, Michael Busch Light said:

Rojas is a decent player.  Plays really good defense at 3B and 2B.  He can steal a bag and take a walk.  Has a little pop.  His bat just died last year in Seattle.  We could do worse though. 

Agreed. I think folks forget or don’t realize how bad Seattle’s entire offense was last year. 
 

Rojas’s last 4 seasons fWAR: 1.9, 1 (105 GP), 2.5, and 1.8. Steamer projections for this upcoming season is 1.1 in 83 GP. That’s the type of player you feel ok with having to start at 3b if Shaw flops and great with if he ends up being your utility guy off the bench with Shaw playing decent. 

 

[Bertz]

17 minutes ago, KCCub said:

Agreed. I think folks forget or don’t realize how bad Seattle’s entire offense was last year. 
 

Rojas’s last 4 seasons fWAR: 1.9, 1 (105 GP), 2.5, and 1.8. Steamer projections for this upcoming season is 1.1 in 83 GP. That’s the type of player you feel ok with having to start at 3b if Shaw flops and great with if he ends up being your utility guy off the bench with Shaw playing decent. 

 

Yeah Steamer has him at 2.0 WAR/600 PAs and ZiPS has him at 1.5.  That's a quality second division starter and realistically if you start setting your sights much higher you start getting into guys who aren't going to settle for sharing the position with Shaw.

[Rcal10]

27 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Yeah Steamer has him at 2.0 WAR/600 PAs and ZiPS has him at 1.5.  That's a quality second division starter and realistically if you start setting your sights much higher you start getting into guys who aren't going to settle for sharing the position with Shaw.

I agree with this. Rojas would be a fine bench player. But does that mean they also have to get a right handed bat to cover for Busch? That is my only issue with signing Rojas. They would have to add another bat. I just don’t think they will sign 2 and use $10M-$15M to add to the bench. 

[harmony]

On 12/30/2024 at 5:24 PM, KCCub said:

Agreed. I think folks forget or don’t realize how bad Seattle’s entire offense was last year. 

Last year the Cubs posted a team wRC+ of 101 while the Seattle Mariners posted a team wRC+ of 104, including a league-leading  wRC+ of 118 after August 15.

[Backtobanks]

On 12/30/2024 at 8:13 PM, Rcal10 said:

I agree with this. Rojas would be a fine bench player. But does that mean they also have to get a right handed bat to cover for Busch? That is my only issue with signing Rojas. They would have to add another bat. I just don’t think they will sign 2 and use $10M-$15M to add to the bench. 

I mentioned weeks ago that Urshela would be a great backup IF who could also play 1B.  Apparently a $2 million dollar deal for one year was too expensive for Jed.  

[Transmogrified Tiger]

7 hours ago, harmony said:

Last year the Cubs posted a team wRC+ of 101 while the Seattle Mariners posted a team wRC+ of 104, including a league-leading  wRC+ of 118 after August 15.

See KCCub, the Seattle offense was only horrible for 122 games, bet you feel foolish now that you’ve seen that and a comparison to a Cubs offense that everyone complained about.
 

(Also wRC+ is underestimating the Cubs by 5ish points since their 2024 park factor was an extreme outlier and wRC+ is using multi-year weights)

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Backtobanks said:

I mentioned weeks ago that Urshela would be a great backup IF who could also play 1B.  Apparently a $2 million dollar deal for one year was too expensive for Jed.  

I would have been ok with Urshela. But it appears they are aiming higher if they are actually going after Rojas. I just think a right handed bat makes more sense unless they are adding a second bat, which they might do. As a second bat, Urshella would work, but that would mean the two recent adds wouldn’t make the team. And I think at least one of them will, as utility. So if the Cubs signed Rojas I would expect the second bench bat to be able to play 1st and outfield. Regardless, in this case Jed did not pass on Urshella because he didn’t want to spend $2M. He just didn’t want him. 

[thawv]

On 12/30/2024 at 4:25 PM, KCCub said:

They’ll most likely add a RH bench bat that can play 1b, e.g. Canha, etc.

It looks like that's the best option for 1B.  I'm not 100% sure on the "most likely" part though.  Canha is my guy also. 

[harmony]

1 hour ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

See KCCub, the Seattle offense was only horrible for 122 games, bet you feel foolish now that you’ve seen that and a comparison to a Cubs offense that everyone complained about.
 

(Also wRC+ is underestimating the Cubs by 5ish points since their 2024 park factor was an extreme outlier and wRC+ is using multi-year weights)

Indeed the Cubs have moved ahead of the Seattle Mariners in FanGraphs' projected position player WAR:

https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=ALL&teamid=3

... while still trailing the Mariners in overall projected 2025 WAR.

[thawv]

On 12/30/2024 at 4:35 PM, Bertz said:

Yeah Canha/Rojas/Kelly/Brujan is a pretty strong bench.  Should still leave plenty of financial room for the rest of the pitching we want too.

I wonder if they'd let Canha play CF.  He's fast enough for it but hasn't done it regularly in several years.  Maybe at Wrigley with its tiny CF?

It sounds like in your situation, Canario is traded or DFA?