Cubs, Joe Maddon eyeing former Rays bench coach Dave Martinez

A Joe Maddon reunion with former Tampa Bay bench coach Dave Martinez looked more likely by Wednesday as the Cubs started to explore hiring the former Cub outfielder for new manager Maddon’s staff.

Martinez, who interviewed for the Cubs’ managing vacancy a year ago, became a free agent when he resigned this week from his Tampa Bay coaching job after being passed over for the Rays’ managing job.

The Cubs have been conspicuously silent about the final composition of their 2015 coaching staff since Maddon was hired as manager last month.

But general manager Jed Hoyer said Wednesday during his weekly radio hit on the “Kap & Haugh” show that they plan to look into Martinez.

“Obviously, [Maddon] had a great relationship with Davey,” Hoyer said. “We’ve talked about him in the past, about how strongly he feels about him and what he did for him and trying to replicate that. Obviously, now that he’s available Theo [Epstein] and I really enjoyed our sit-down with him last year during the manager hiring process.”