Matt Shaw to Focus on 3B, Cubs Focused on ‘Guys We Have in Camp’
Cubs camp officially opened on Sunday as pitchers and catchers reported to prepare for an unusually early start to the season. The North Siders head to Tokyo to face the juggernaut Dodgers on March 18 and 19 before heading back to Mesa to finish spring training, then they’ll face the Diamondbacks for four games in Phoenix. Oh, and about those Dodgers? They’re not done adding. They just brought Kiké Hernández back and could sign more big league deals once they clear space with the 60-day IL opening up for them on Tuesday.
The Cubs will likewise be able to clear 40-man spots in the same manner, though adding impact players — and their salaries — at this point is very much in question. Alex Bregman is the only big-time free agent left and the Cubs remain strongly connected to him even as his market continues to narrow, but it feels like they’ve made their offer and are content to let him come to them. That’s what they should be doing at this point and Jed Hoyer indicated as much during his Sunday press conference.
“Unclear,” Hoyer responded when asked about Bregman just over a minute into the presser. “I think you always look for opportunity, but right now we’re going to focus on the guys we have in camp. That’s the plan.”
That plan includes having Matt Shaw work almost exclusively at third base in order to earn his spot there. The fact that they’re not planning to have Shaw work at second base even though Nico Hoerner is not expected to be ready for the start of the season — not to mention the strong possibility that he’d be traded if Bregman joins the Cubs — is telling. Still, Hoyer isn’t ready to simply hand his top prospect the reins at the hot corner.
“I think it’ll be a competition this spring for sure,” Hoyer said. “I don’t think we’re in the world of anointing a rookie and giving a job.”
The reality of the situation is that it’s Shaw’s gig to lose, especially after the Cubs purged nearly every other third baseman from the organization over the last few months. Since last season’s trade deadline, they’ve traded or cut loose Christopher Morel, Isaac Paredes, Patrick Wisdom, Nick Madrigal, David Bote, and Miles Mastrobuoni. Other than Shaw, the replacements are Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, and Gage Workman. As risky as it can be to roll with a rookie, I can’t imagine anyone in the organization being comfortable with any of those three as more than an occasional backup.
While I believe there’s still a decidedly non-zero chance that Bregman follows in the footsteps of fellow Scott Boras client Pete Alonso and takes a shorter deal, there’s a point at which the Cubs need to back out. Bregman would make them a better team in 2025, but the ripple effects of signing him might cost a lot more than they’re worth in future seasons.