Matt Shaw will be with the Chicago Cubs when they play in the Tokyo Series next week against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Craig Counsell.
It's unclear as to whether Shaw will be on Chicago's Opening Day roster, but chances are, since he's making the trip, he'll be playing third base in at least one of the two games set to take place in Japan.
This is incredibly exciting news for Cubs fans, first and foremost. Shaw, Chicago's first-round pick back in 2023 and the No. 19 prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline, is going to make his MLB debut against the defending World Series champions in Tokyo. Does it get more thrilling than that?
“Matt Shaw is going to Japan,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said today in Arizona.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 11, 2025
While it's obviously exciting that Shaw has the opportunity to get his feet wet this soon, it's hard not to feel that the team rushed him. Frankly, that falls on the shoulders of GM Jed Hoyer.
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Jed Hoyer is to blame for the Cubs rushing Matt Shaw
Shaw entered spring training as the clear favorite to begin the year as Chicago's third baseman. The Cubs had traded Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith, two third basemen, in order to acquire Kyle Tucker in perhaps the biggest trade of the entire offseason. That was a great (albeit risky) trade for Chicago, but it created a hole at the hot corner, with Shaw looming as virtually the only internal option.
The Cubs heavily pursued Alex Bregman in free agency but wound up falling well short, losing out on the star third baseman to the Boston Red Sox. Outside of their Bregman pursuit, the Cubs didn't do much in regards to pursuing other third basemen (or really any free agents, for that matter), while consistently praising Shaw.
On one hand, it's great to give a top prospect like Shaw every possible chance to make the team. On the other hand, the Cubs are facing the consequences of all but guaranteeing Shaw a spot before spring training even began.
Shaw has missed time this spring due to an oblique injury, causing him to receive just 16 at-bats in totality. Those 16 at-bats for a 23-year-old who has just 35 games of experience at the Triple-A level and no games of experience at the MLB level should not be enough for him to make the team if we're being objective. Keeping him in spring training for an additional week and having him ready for domestic Opening Day might have made more sense.
Unfortunately, though, the Cubs don't really have another option unless they want to use one of Gage Workman or Vidal Brujan at third base, which they obviously don't. Hoyer should have acquired a player who could have realistically competed with Shaw for the third base job. His refusal to do so is what is causing the Cubs to rush Shaw and potentially risk him getting off to a slow-ish start to what everyone hopes will be a fruitful career.