Why the Cubs’ Signing Michael Conforto Puts Matt Shaw’s Future in Doubt

The Chicago Cubs made quite the addition on Sunday night, bringing in free agent outfielder Michael Conforto. He signed a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite, but the signing says a whole lot more.

The Cubs still need an answer in right field, or at the very least a dependable fourth outfielder for this season. That is why Matt Shaw has been getting reps in the outfield and even started in right during the first Spring Training game.

Signing Conforto is not necessarily an indictment of Shaw, but it is a clear backup plan while the experiment plays out. Shaw’s glove is strong enough to move around, but his bat still needs more consistency at the pro level, and the Cubs cannot afford to wait without a fallback.

Michael Conforto | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Conforto, meanwhile, is a veteran left-handed power hitter, so Chicago knows what it is getting, even if his defense has long graded below average.

If the Cubs get even a modest offensive boost from Conforto, the move gives them a low-risk safety net while Shaw keeps developing in a new role. It is a quiet sign the front office wants a real solution in right field now, not later.

They shouldn’t wait another season hanging in the balance on potential alone.

Michael Conforto signing signals caution around Matt Shaw experiment

Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Conforto only signed a minor league deal, but the move clearly gives the Cubs an insurance policy if the Shaw experiment in right field fails. It also puts a spotlight on Shaw’s offensive struggles, which have been hard to ignore.

Shaw is coming off a rookie season where he hit .226, and while a guy can be as good a defender as they want, it’s hard to keep a guy in the lineup every day if he’s not hitting. Conforto is a little bit older, but he still has that proven left-handed bat.

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The Cubs can always give him a platoon in right field with Seiya Suzuki until they get things sorted out.

If Shaw is not hitting, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him get sent down to Triple-A to work on his game. It might damage his confidence or even put him on the trade market, but that’s what young guys do.

The next few weeks of Spring Training could shape Shaw’s role more than anything that happens once the games start counting. If he does not respond, Conforto is there as a steady fallback while the Cubs chase wins rather than wait on potential.

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