A Promising Matt Shaw Update Gives the Cubs Another Good Problem to Have

The Chicago Cubs continue to get stronger as the playoffs loom.

According to The Athletic's Patrick Mooney, Matt Shaw is inching closer to a return. The utility man is expected to go on a rehab assignment in the coming days and has been hitting at Wrigley Field this weekend with no issues. The hope seems to be that Shaw can finally return to the field with the Iowa Cubs on Tuesday.

Matt Shaw has been sidelined since June 28 with what the team has listed as a left-hand sprain. There was hope that Shaw would have already been back in the lineup by this point, but the rehab process has taken longer than expected. It was just last week that Craig Counsell told reporters that Shaw was still having issues swinging at full speed and that he could still be weeks away.

Nevertheless, it appears that Shaw has finally turned the page and is feeling strong enough to enter the final stage. It only adds to the good news for the Cubs, who have only looked like a strong World Series threat since the trade deadline.

How Will Matt Shaw Fit Back into the Equation?

Jun 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Matt Shaw (6) hits a three-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Craig Counsell will have another good problem on his hands once Matt Shaw is ready to rejoin the bigs. Obviously, the team's current group has put together some great results. You don't want to rock the boat too much, yet Shaw showed earlier this season that he's more than worthy of consistent playing time.

Pedro Ramírez is the one who has benefited most from Shaw's absence. And he's undoubtedly made the most of the opportunity. Ramírez is slashing .303/.358/.451 with a .809 OPS over 48 games. To be sure, his production has dipped slightly in the last couple of weeks, but is that reason enough to significantly reduce his playing time?

The Cubs also went out and acquired Tyrone Taylor at the deadline for some outfield insurance. Counsell has quickly started to use him in place of Ian Happ against lefty pitchers, but he also hasn't been afraid to plug both into the lineup. Shaw could start to fill this role a little more, as we also saw him perform very well against lefties this year. But simply plugging Shaw into Taylor's spot doesn't equate to the same kind of daily playing time.

The most likely scenario is that we simply see Shaw in and out of the lineup more than we did earlier this season. Jed Hoyer has given Counsell plenty to work with, and it will be up to him to manage those pieces accordingly. You also never know who might run into a little slump. If that happens over the next week or so, fitting Shaw back in might be a lot easier.

With that said, as great as it is to have lineup flexibility, Counsell will want to establish a clear group for the postseason. We have fully entered crunch time, and there isn't much time left to figure out how big of a role Shaw should play down the stretch.

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