Chicago Sports Today

Chicago Sports News continuously updated

Matt Shaw’s New Beginning at Third Base for the Cubs

by

Matt Shaw has had an up-and-down, but not-unusual, start to his Major League career. Being the Cubs’ first-round draft pick in 2023 and their #1 prospect, he started the season on the Major League roster. Even though people didn’t expect him to be a superstar right off the bat, he did not perform to the best of his ability.

A Rocky Start

Shaw played the first 18 games of the season as Chicago’s primary third baseman. Unfortunately, during this time, his batting average was .172 with an OPS of .535. He also averaged a strikeout per game. As mentioned above, no one expected him to be an all-star right out of the gates, but these numbers won’t cut it for any player. Even with the Cubs’ lack of options at third base, they thought the best course of action was to send him down to Triple-A Iowa to get more comfortable at the pro level. This isn’t unusual for young prospects, but it certainly isn’t what you hope to see in anyone. However, spending some time in Iowa gave Shaw the confidence he needed to take that next step.

Shaw’s Opportunity to Prove His Worth

Matt Shaw spent about a month with the Iowa Cubs. His time here was very valuable, as it gave him the chance to play every single day and boost his overall confidence. In 24 games in Triple-A, Shaw hit .286 to go along with a .969 OPS. Additionally, he only stuck out 11 times in these 24 games. While Triple-A is a step down from the Majors, these numbers were huge improvements. At this time, he also showcased his power, hitting 6 home runs, which included back-to-back 2-home run games against St. Paul.

 

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Clearly, this stint in Triple-A for Matt Shaw was the right course of action to get him back on track. Some young players just need extra time to get their footing, and that is okay. Since being called back to Chicago on May 19th, he has shown why he deserves to be on a Major League roster.

The Return to the Majors

Since being recalled, Matt Shaw has played 21 games and has made his time count. He is currently slashing .299/.341/.429, which is much improved from the beginning of the year. His batting average since coming back is also higher than it was in Triple-A this year. Additionally, he has lowered his number of strikeouts, recording only 13 in these 21 games. He has shown off his speed, as evidenced by his 7 stolen bases since being recalled. Not only has his hitting and baserunning improved, but he has shown many flashes of being a gold glove defender.

 

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

While Shaw hasn’t been perfect yet, he has given Cubs fans a great amount of hope for the future. Early in the season, the Cubs had a third-base carousel. They cycled through players like Matt Shaw, Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, and Gage Workman, who has since been designated for assignment (DFA). However, ever since Matt Shaw made his return from the minors, he has locked down the third base position. He has given the Cubs a stable hitter at the back end of their lineup and a competent, possibly Gold Glove-caliber defender at the hot corner. He has allowed the Cubs to focus solely on pitching at the trade deadline, rather than worrying about third base as well. Not only has he secured himself an everyday starting role, but he has also possibly secured the Cubs’ long-term third baseman for the future.

The post Matt Shaw’s New Beginning at Third Base for the Cubs appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.