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By Jackson Roberts
Contributing Sports Writer
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Every hot stove move has countermoves, and the Chicago Cubs made a big splash on Saturday that is bound to create
some ripples.
According to multiple reports, including one from ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Cubs and three-time All-Star third baseman agreed to a five-year deal worth $175 million on Saturday night. The deal reportedly includes $70 million of deferrals.
Bregman's arrival instantly makes the Cubs much more serious World Series contenders. But it also leaves them with one too many infielders to squeeze into a starting lineup, and a well-respected baseball talent evaluator believes the Cubs could quickly move on from a promising youngster.
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On Sunday, Keith Law of The Athletic projected third baseman Matt Shaw as the most likely candidate to be traded, citing some off-field red flags the Cubs had gleaned from his profile in addition to his up-and-down rookie season on the field.
"The Cubs now have one infielder too many, and they’re going to end up trading someone," Law wrote. "The most obvious candidate is Shaw, whose rookie season was a disappointment at the plate thanks to some frequent mechanical changes and, according to people I’ve spoken to, resistance to help from the Cubs’ staff. He also made his priorities clear when he left the team during the pennant race to attend a political rally, missing a game the Cubs lost 1-0."
Shaw, 23, was the Cubs' first-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Maryland, and he wound up putting together a solid second half to finish his rookie campaign with a .690 OPS, 13 home runs, 17 stolen bases, and 3.1 bWAR. Bregman, for what it's worth, posted 3.5 bWAR, though he played 12 fewer games than Shaw.
The other candidate to be traded is second baseman Nico Hoerner, who is entering the final year of his current contract and plays Shaw's natural position. But Hoerner posted 6.2 bWAR this season and won his second Gold Glove in three years.
It's a privilege to have difficult decisions to make, and the Cubs could also keep Shaw and try him out in a super-utility role. But having surplus talent should only be a benefit whether he stays or goes.
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