Matt Shaw Remains Cubs’ Best Solution to 3B Situation
The Cubs have used five different players at third base already this season, and that number will ratchet up to six once Nicky Lopez gets some action. That group has combined for -0.5 fWAR over 113 plate appearances, with Matt Shaw getting the most (67 PAs) and performing the worst (-0.4 fWAR). So why is he their best option to solidify the position moving forward? The simplest answer is that there really aren’t (m)any better solutions.
Unless you’ve got a time machine and the ability to incept the idea of bigger spending into Tom Ricketts’ mind back in December, there’s no point in pining for Alex Bregman. The next conclusion most will jump to is a trade, but that’s neither immediate nor long-term.
As noted by the infamous Tommy Meyers, third base isn’t exactly an area of strength around the league. So even if there are some teams looking to sell, the top of the market might be someone like Baltimore’s Ramón Urías. The 31-year-old has flashed a little pop in the past, but he’s never been an everyday player and doesn’t figure to become one at this stage.
Lot of “Cubs need to go get a 3B” talk which is fine and good but the reality is the external answers at 3B (who won’t be available until July-ish anyway) are guys like Ramón Urías. 3B SUCKS around the league.
This team’s answer to 3B is Matt Shaw getting right
— FullCountTommy (@FullCountTommy) April 28, 2025
Nolan Arenado is off to a strong start and has been mentioned in trade rumors for months now, making him an obvious candidate to be moved if the Cardinals remain well out of the hunt. The issue there is that he’s 34 years old with two more years left on a deal that pays him $30.56 million per year. Even with the Rockies paying $5 million of that this year and next, and the Cards presumably eating a big chunk in any deal, this doesn’t seem like something the Cubs would be willing to pursue.
Shaw is the Occam’s razor here because he’s already on the 40-man roster and should be able to perform at a significantly higher level than what we saw out of the gate. If recent results are any indication, he seems to be finding his stride at Triple-A. Following a 1-for-17 start, he’s gone 4-for-9 with a homer and double over the last two games. I’m not saying he’s ready to be promoted back to Chicago tomorrow or anything, just that the confidence should be coming around.
In the meantime, it might not be a bad idea to give Ben Cowles a cup of coffee. Acquired from the Yankees along with righty Jack Neely in exchange for Mark Leiter Jr. last July, Cowles was added to the 40-man roster in November and has played mainly shortstop for Iowa. Though third base may not be his best position, he has logged nearly 660 innings there as a minor leaguer and offers depth at multiple spots.
Cowles also has a .267/.361/.423 career slash line with 32 homers over 1,417 professional plate appearances. His path to any sort of significant playing time in Chicago is incredibly narrow, but maybe he can serve as a competent stopgap while potentially building value for a trade to a team that can use him more readily.
This is like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books where all the decisions are fraught, which is why I keep coming back to Shaw. Getting his bat right and bringing him back up for the second half, if not earlier, looks like the Cubs’ best bet to upgrade at a position of need.
