Season Report Card: Matt Shaw leads Cubs’ third base mix, but questions remain |
Dustin Riese
· · 4 hours ago
It has been a long time since the Cubs could say they have had an everyday third baseman. Kris Bryant is the name that comes to mind as he anchored the hot corner from 2015 until about 2021 before starting to see more time in the outfield.
Since his departure, the Cubs have tried to find their answer at the hot corner, and just when you think they found an answer, it doesn't pan out. Patrick Wisdom is the name that comes to mind there as he can with prodigious power, but his massive strikeout rate made him a liability to start as an everyday option. Then came 2025, when the Cubs had a plan going into the season, but ultimately went with a different approach, only to settle on the same plan they had started with to get them through the season. The result sets them up for the 2025 season, but once again, this team will have more questions than answers at the hot corner, despite the future of that position looking like it is in good hands.
What to make about Matt Shaw and his rookie season. This player did all the little things right this offseason to make the team and was coming off an impressive 2024 Minors showing that had him knocking on the MLB door. Once the Cubs committed to having him make the roster, they had no choice but to hand him the keys to the hot corner, as this was an up-and-down season for Shaw. Throughout the season, Shaw got off to a slow start, was sent down, came back up, and started hitting before ending the season on a struggling note. He is as big a question mark as anyone heading into the offseason, as the Cubs need to figure out what to do with him. When you look back at his season, it's hard to believe he was only playing third base for a few months before the season, as he looked like a natural at the hot corner defensively. That was the biggest worry for him going into the season, but looking back, it's the offense that is now a concern, as Shaw looked overmatched at the plate most of the season. Sure, the 13 homers, 44 RBIs, and 17 steals look good on paper, especially for a rookie, but the .226 average is an issue especially for someone seen as a .280 plus hitter like Nico Hoerner. Grade C: This was a tale of two grades for Shaw. If we were to grade just his defense alone, he would receive an A+, as he is one of six Gold Glove finalists for the Cubs. From an offensive standpoint, he would be closer to the D range, which is why the entire grade falls in the C range. With Alex Bregman back in free agency once again, it will be interesting to see if the Cubs make a run for him and instead try to use Shaw more as a Utility infield player across the diamond. That's not to say the Cubs are giving up on him yet, but he does have a lot to work on with his game and may not have been quite ready yet this season.
Looking back at the 2025 Trade Deadline, most fans would call this deadline an epic failure. The Cubs needed starting pitching and failed to address it. They also didn't go after the big-name closer, although Andrew Kittredge did pan out. Additionally, they needed a player like Eugenio Suarez at third, but instead chose to let the Seattle Mariners acquire him. Instead of acquiring Suarez for their lineup, the Cubs settled on Castro, as he was the next best third baseman at the time, which left the Cubs with no choice but to trade for him. Ironically, the utility barely spent any time at third and instead did most of his playing time in right, filling in for an injured Kyle Tucker. Although he put up decent numbers as a Utility Player with 10 homers and 33 RBIs, his .226 average was an issue, one of the lowest marks of his career. To make matters worse, Castro couldn't get much of anything going with the Cubs, hitting just .170 in 34 games with one homer and six RBIs. Talk about a wasted deadline pick as the Cubs could've gotten that same production from someone in their farm system. Grade D: As questionable as it was when the Cubs made the move to get Castro, you understood why the deal was done, as they did need some help at the hot corner. Given Castro's ability to move around the diamond, this was a deal that made sense at the time, especially knowing his track record at the plate. When he first arrived in Chicago, Castro made an impression, and the Cubs were loving what they had from the veteran. After about 10 games, the honeymoon phase was over, and he became a bench piece that was seldom used down the stretch. With a $9 million option for next season, it will be interesting to see if the Cubs exercise that option to keep him around or let him hit the market.
The plan going into the regular season was to let Gage Workman and Shaw split time at third with the hopes that someone would overtake that job. When you look at the spring Workman had compared to what Shaw did, the choice was clear, as Workman earned his spot on this team and a chance to be the everyday option at third. A Rule 5 pickup by the Cubs in the offseason, Workman has been lighting it up in the Minors, but for whatever reason, he has failed to reach AAA up to this point in his career. He finally had his opportunity this season, but after countless errors in the field and a .188 average across 16 games, the Cubs felt it was in their best interest to release him, as he is back in the Tigers organization. Grade F: After putting up the spring he had, and coming off another massive season in the Minors, there was plenty of excitement surrounding Workman and what he could bring to the table. Instead, this looked like a Matt Mervis 2.0 situation as someone who couldn't cut it in the majors. Given that he was a Rule 5 pick, it didn't cost the Cubs anything to let him go, as they cut ties with him quicker than anyone expected.Matt Shaw
Willi Castro
Gage Workman
