Alright, I’ll admit it—I was a little worried too. On Friday, the Cubs revealed that top prospect Matt Shaw had a minor setback at the start of spring training, sitting out for a few days due to oblique soreness. That news had some fans on edge, but in hindsight, the brief panic over Shaw’s injury was probably an overreaction.
Ever since Seiya Suzuki’s oblique injury in spring training back in 2023, I get a little anxious whenever a similar issue pops up. Fortunately, this time, Shaw’s soreness seems to be nothing serious. After initially feeling discomfort in his left oblique on Monday, he was cleared to resume hitting by Saturday.
That’s a relief.
The Cubs need Shaw to stay healthy from the start, especially with their current infield depth not exactly inspiring confidence. There’s also uncertainty about whether Nico Hoerner will be ready for Opening Day, and the last thing the Cubs want is to begin the season with multiple backup infielders in key spots.
Looking back at the offseason, the Cubs essentially cleared the way for Shaw at third base. While they insist they aren’t just handing him the job, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers recently pointed out that every player who started at third for Chicago in 2024 is now gone:
- Christopher Morel – traded in July
- Patrick Wisdom – non-tendered in November
- Nick Madrigal – non-tendered in November
- David Bote – free agent in December
- Isaac Paredes – traded in December
- Miles Mastrobuoni – DFA’d and traded in January
- Luis Vazquez – DFA’d and traded in January
As for the remaining infield depth, the 40-man roster is filled with unproven players. Jon Berti is the most experienced, while Vidal Brujan, Benjamin Cowles, and Gage Workman are also options. Veteran Nicky Lopez, who signed a minor league deal, could end up earning a bench spot.
So yeah, let’s just hope Matt Shaw stays healthy. Please and thank you.
