For a team like the Chicago Cubs — Rookie Reset that’s been leading the NL Central for most of the 2025 season — every position needs to pull its weight. While the offense has been among the best in baseball, third base was an ongoing question mark… until rookie Matt Shaw got sent down, reset his game, and came back swinging.
Sometimes, the best move isn’t forward — it’s a step back.
The Cubs’ Offensive Powerhouse — With One Weak Spot
The Cubs have built one of the most dangerous lineups in MLB this year. They lead the majors in batting average, rank top-three in on-base percentage and slugging, and have scored more runs than any other team.
But there’s been one glaring issue: third base.
Cubs third basemen as a group were hitting just .208/.286/.268 before Shaw’s return — a clear drag on an otherwise explosive offense.
Shaw started the season at third, but struggled out of the gate. Through April 14, he was batting just .172 with 18 strikeouts in 18 games. He was drawing walks, sure, but not making enough hard contact or producing consistent results.
So, the front office made a tough call: send him back to Triple-A Iowa.
“It Was Exactly What I Needed”
When you’re a young player trying to prove yourself in the majors, getting sent down can feel like a setback. But for Shaw, it turned into a reset.
“There’s not time for young guys to struggle when we want to win, so it was exactly what I needed,” Shaw told CBS Sports.
He admitted it wasn’t easy, especially since he hadn’t spent much time in Triple-A before — only 35 games total. But he also knew something had to change.
In 24 games with Iowa, Shaw looked like a different player. He slashed .286/.409/.560 , hit six home runs, five doubles, stole five bases, and — most importantly — found his confidence again.
The Swing That Changed Everything
Confidence alone doesn’t fix mechanical flaws. So Shaw and the coaching staff worked on specific adjustments during his time in the minors.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell explained the difference:
“We’ve asked him to make some changes and I think he’s done really well with them… He’s a little more upright, not as much on his legs as he was in April.”
That small tweak helped Shaw improve his timing and consistency — two areas where he’d fallen behind early in the season.
And the results were immediate after his recall.
In just six games back with the Cubs, Shaw recorded at least one hit in five of them. Overall, he went 9-for-25 (.360) with five doubles and a .560 slugging percentage. Even in his hitless game, he was squaring up pitches and driving the ball hard.
From Question Mark to Building Block
Despite his early-season struggles, Shaw still sits as the fifth-best bet for NL Rookie of the Year at Caesars Sportsbook (+1100). More importantly, he appears to be stabilizing the weakest spot in the lineup.
The Cubs don’t expect him to climb higher than the No. 8 spot anytime soon, but they do need steady production from third base — and right now, Shaw is delivering it.
As the team heads into a critical homestand against the Rockies and Reds, having a confident, consistent third baseman makes all the difference.
One of the biggest lessons from Shaw’s journey?
“I think the stint back in Triple-A gave me a little perspective about the big leagues and gave me a breath of fresh air to kind of take a step back,” Shaw said.
Sometimes, the hardest part of growing as a player is knowing when to slow down, refocus, and rebuild.
Now, with momentum on his side and a clearer approach at the plate, Shaw looks ready to become a key piece of the Cubs’ long-term plans.
Leave a Reply