BCB After Dark: Who’s on third?

The late-night/early-morning spot for Cubs fans asks if the Cubs should trade for a replacement for Matt Shaw

It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us. There’s no cover charge. Let us know if you need anything. We always want to be of service. There are still a couple of tables available. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

The Cubs bounced back and thrashed the Royals tonight, 6-0. Matthew Boyd improved to 11-3 and is starting to put his name in consideration for the Cy Young with a 2.20 ERA.

Even better, the Brewers finally lost, snapping their 11-game winning streak with a 1-0 loss to the Mariners. The only run came on a solo home run by Cal Raleigh. So the Cubs move back into a first-place tie with Milwaukee.

Last night I asked you what it would take for the Cubs to trade top 100 prospect Owen Caissie. Sixty-seven percent of you agree with me. It would take a good starting pitcher with multiple years of control. And just today, I’m hearing more on the Cubs’ interest in Marlins starter Edward Cabrera and the Marlins’ interest in Caissie. Sounds like there there is the basis of a deal there.

On Tuesday night/Wednesday morning I don’t do a movie essay, so you still have time to watch Intruder in the Dust. But I always have time for jazz, so those of you who skip that can do so now. You won’t hur my feelings.

Today we have a performance from the Grant Green Trio in France in 1969. The captions say that it was filmed for French television but never aired. The video quality isn’t great but the sound quality is good.

Green is on guitar, Larry Ridley plays bass and Don Lamond in on the drums.

Welcome back to those of you who skip all that jazz.

Since the All-Star Break, third baseman Matt Shaw has been on a tear, hitting .533 (8 for 15) with two home runs and two steals. Of course, five games do not make up for a season of struggles, but he has made some adjustments that seem to finally be working.

This post explains Shaw’s evolution at the plate this season.

Now the Cubs have not given up on the long-term potential of Shaw, but there was a general feeling that they needed to replace him for this year if they wanted to make some noise the rest of the way and into the postseason.

The Cubs have been rumored to have interest in Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez and I’m going to say that if the Cubs can land Suárez, they should do it. It would give them perhaps the most fearsome lineup, one-to-nine, in the majors.

But the Cubs aren’t the only team interested in Suárez, and sometimes what a team has doesn’t match up with what the other team wants. So if the Cubs can’t get Suárez, should the Cubs still trade for a third baseman this upcoming week-plus?

The other third baseman likely to be available at the deadline aren’t as interesting. The Cardinals would love to deal Nolan Arenado, but he’s still owed somewhere over $40 million over the next 2+ years and is in clear decline. He also has full no-trade protection and would be unlikely to approve a deal to the Cubs and the Cardinals would be unlikely to deal him to the Cubs. Still, can’t hurt to ask if you’re interested.

Ryan McMahon is another name that gets mentioned a lot. He’s still owed around $37 million over the next 2+ years, although the Rockies might be willing to send some money along in a deal. He’s still a terrific glove at third base, but he’s been quite poor at the plate this year and downright terrible away from Coors. Maybe he just needs a change of scenery. Playing in Coors can wear you down.

Former White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada is expected to be available, and while he’s only hitting .230 for the Angels on a one-year deal this year, his OBP is a solid .329 and he has eight home runs over just 39 game for a .484 slugging percentage. However, he’s just coming off missing almost two months with a knee injury and his defense gives up a lot of what his offense contributes.

The Twins Willi Castro is more of a utility man than a third baseman, but he has played some there. He’s also hitting .258/.348/.433 with ten home runs over 79 games. Castro is a free agent at the end of the season. Castro could also serve as a roster replacement for Jon Berti or Vidal Bruján when he’s not playing for Shaw.

The Cubs are also rumored to be interested in Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who, like McMahon is a great defender but has struggled at the plate the last two seasons. This year Hayes is hitting just .243/.288/.301 with only two home runs over 94 games. He was even worse last year. But Hayes was a solid bat in 2023 and maybe the Cubs see something that the Pirates don’t that could get him back to his 2023 form. Hayes is owed $30 million over the next four years after this one, but that’s not a big deal in this day and age.

Finally, Orioles utility player Ramón Urías might be available. He can’t become a free agent until after next season. His bat is fine at .248/.297/.370 with six home runs over 71 games. Urías’ glove is considered above-average and he could serve as a bench player if Shaw develops like the Cubs hope.

So if the Cubs can’t get a deal for Eugenio Suárez done, who should they trade for? If anyone?

Thanks a lot for stopping by. We always like to celebrate victories with friends. Please get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.