"So, of course, I immediately have questions like, 'Am I gonna go here, am I gonna go there?' And they've been transparent with me, just kinda helping me to understand the role, moving to different positions, giving guys an off day here and there. And I'm pretty excited about it. I've played a lot of outfield in my life, so I'll play some outfield; probably back up at a couple different positions in the infield."
"Shaw has caught some flak for these comments, but they feel like a reasonable response to the situation, especially given his age. His description is that of a super-utility role, and Jed Hoyer brought up former Cubs cornerstones like Javier Báez and Kris Bryant when talking about their expectations for this season. CI likewise referenced both players when looking at how Craig Counsell can find at-bats for Shaw even with so many established veterans on the roster."
Alex Bregman's arrival altered the Cubs' infield hierarchy and created playing-time uncertainty for 24-year-old Matt Shaw. Shaw lost regular starts at third base and now must adapt to a super-utility role that includes outfield reps and backing up multiple infield positions. Team leadership has communicated the plan and emphasized positional flexibility, occasional rest days for veterans, and creating opportunities for Shaw. The organization referenced past versatile contributors like Javier Báez and Kris Bryant as models for maximizing at-bats. Enrique Hernández's multi-position role for the 2025 Dodgers serves as a recent example of championship utility usage.
Read at Cubsinsider
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]