The Chicago Cubs’ lead in the National League Central is down to just two games over the Milwaukee Brewers. They may have to be aggressive at the trade deadline to capitalize on this season.
The Cubs traded for Kyle Tucker in the offseason, and he has been a key part of their success this year. However, he will be a free agent after the season ends, and could leave the team. With that in mind, the Cubs need to capitalize on this season, and that could mean replacing Matt Shaw at third base.
Shaw was one of the best prospects in the organization coming into the year. He was sent down, but now he is back in the big leagues. He has a .617 OPS on the season. The Cubs still believe in him, but they may not be able to stick by him at third base if this is an “all in” year. FanSided’s Zachary Rotman noted that Shaw should be ‘on notice’ as the possibility of adding Eugenio Suárez remains.
“Sending (Shaw) down now and replacing him with Suarez would give the Cubs their best chance to win right now, give Shaw a chance to gain more experience in Triple-A (only 59 career games at that level), and take all of the pressure off his shoulders until next season,” wrote Rotman. “Suarez is on an expiring contract, so it’s not as if Shaw won’t have a chance to re-earn his third base job next season, when he might be more prepared to take it and run.”
Suárez is slashing .257/.324/.570 with 26 home runs this year. He would be a dream acquisition for the Cubs as they try to make a deep run in October. The Diamondbacks are struggling, and if they become sellers, they will have many players getting trade interest.
“The Cubs would upgrade their roster tremendously for 2025, would give Shaw a chance to reset and improve in a low-pressure environment, and also, this would give Shaw a chance to be the team’s third baseman next season,” wrote Rotman. “It’s a win for everyone involved. As Suarez continues to rake and Shaw continues to struggle, it’s something the Cubs should strongly consider.”
