CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs added another catcher, agreeing to a two-year, $13 million contract with Yan Gomes.
The Cubs have Willson Contreras behind the plate, but he is eligible for free agency after next season and the team could decide to trade him if they can’t reach a long-term deal this winter. They also could use Gomes to provide more rest for Contreras, who turns 30 in May.
The 34-year-old Gomes played for Washington and Oakland this year, batting .252 with 14 homers and 52 RBIs in 103 games.
A person with direct knowledge of the contract confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because it had not been finalized.
Gomes was selected by Toronto in the 10th round of the 2009 amateur draft and broke into the majors with the Blue Jays in 2012. He is a .247 hitter with 117 homers and 416 RBIs in 882 career games.
Gomes had his best year with Cleveland in 2014, batting .278 with a career-high 21 homers and 74 RBIs in 135 games. He also hit 16 homers for Cleveland in 2018, earning his only All-Star nod.
Chicago is retooling after going 71-91 this year for its first losing record since 2014. It claimed left-hander Wade Miley off waivers from Cincinnati on Nov. 7.
Owner Tom Ricketts said in an October letter to fans that the Cubs would “be active in free agency and continue to make thoughtful decisions to bolster our team this offseason.” But the additions of Miley and Gomes have been their only moves of note so far.
