In a world where some players take a demotion as a defeat, Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw used his stint productively. When veterans receive word, the parent club will send them to the minors, and they occasionally bristle. The comfortable environment of a major league lifestyle fosters a sense of luxurious entitlement.
The thought of hopping buses neither thrills nor enchants them. Their goal of returning to the majors as soon as possible remains their ultimate goal. Meanwhile, rookies like Shaw do not possess the same vision. With a slow start, management decided to demote the prospect in the hopes that he would adjust his approach and emerge better. The 23-year-old accomplished that mission and heads back to the majors.
Chicago Cubs 3B Matt Shaw Returns to Majors with New Outlook, Asserts MLB Analyst
Currently, the Cubs sit alone at the top of the National League Central Division. With a two-game lead, Chicago manages to win with a sound offense, despite hiccups within the lineup. Five of the everyday starters currently bat over .260, with Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner leading the way, each hitting .290.
The Cubs blend power, speed, and extra-base hits into a winning combination. Yet, something prevents Chicago from becoming a feared lineup from top to bottom. Normally, third base, from an offensive perspective, is considered a power position. In other words, while defense is important, possessing thunder in your bat supersedes everything else.
During his first 18 games as a major leaguer, the 2023 first-round pick looked lost and could not find his footing, struggling to a .172 average with one home run, three runs batted in, and an on-base percentage of .304. The team did not waste time sending the highly touted prospect to their Triple-A affiliate in Iowa.
Instead of complaining and sulking, Shaw attacked the assignment. In 24 games, he posted a .286 average, clubbing six home runs, with 14 runs batted in, sporting an on-base percentage of .409. Major League Baseball insider Jon Heyman spoke to the “Mully and Haugh Show” on 670 The Score regarding Shaw’s resurgence.
The Cubs "are very pleased with the adjustments" that Matt Shaw made at Triple-A Iowa, @JonHeyman told @mullyhaugh. He's set to rejoin the Cubs tonight.
"That will add to an excellent offense," Heyman says of the Cubs. "I think they are really good." pic.twitter.com/qmwoLFO2cC
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore)
The rookie’s return could not arrive at a better moment for the Cubs. With their current platoon of Jon Berti and Nicky Lopez, opponents counted them as automatic outs. As a result, pitchers would walk better hitters and pitch to them. With a combined batting average of .182, the duo will take their rightful spots as reserves when Shaw returns.
Furthermore, another right-handed batter could not hurt a team that plays three lefties around the heart of the lineup. Will Shaw stick this time? Hitting, considered by many to be a science, isn’t an exact one. Still, the Cubs saw enough in Shaw when he won the starting job out of camp. The next couple of months will dictate how the rest of the season will go.