Red Sox Insider Pitches Bold Alex Bregman Replacement

The Boston Red Sox still could use one more piece in the infield and WEEI's Rob Bradford threw another name out there on Thursday that hasn't gotten a lot of buzz.

Over the last few weeks, Nico Hoerner, Brendan Donovan, Eugenio Suárez and Isaac Paredes have been the guys most consistently linked to the club. None of the four are perfect fits and replicate what Alex Bregman did — a right-handed power bat who can also play good defense. Suárez is the lone free agent of the group and at least wouldn't cost the team prospects, although he isn't great defensively.

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But each day, these four seem to be mentioned as a fit for Boston in some way. On Thursday, Bradford made the case for another infield option who could be a better fit: Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw.

Should the Red Sox call the Cubs?

Sep 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw (6) runs back to the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

"Brendan Donovan, not a great fit," Bradford said. "Will cost you a lot. Nico Hoerner, fine, one-year, though. Will cost you a lot, well a ton. I look at Matt Shaw, this kid from the Cubs. The pride of Northfield Mount Hermon and had a great second half last year. 24 years old. Doesn't have a logical place to play in the Cubs. Yes, will he cost a Payton Tolle or a Connelly Early-level guy? Yeah, probably. But if you're talking about a right-handed, power-hitting third baseman who can field the ball, that's the type of guy you have to get. ...

"Listen, as much as he doesn't have a place to play right now, Nico Hoerner is a free agent after next year. So, it's like you're going to have to fill in that gap. And, by the way, he was a first-round pick, a top prospect. A guy who in the second half of last year actually showed why he's a first-round pick and top prospect. He can be a valuable, valuable guy.

Shaw is a Massachusetts native and was a rookie in 2025. He finished ninth in the National League Rookie of the Year Award voting and was a 3.1-WAR player. Overall, he slashed .226/.295/.394 with 13 homers, 44 RBIs, 17 stolen bases ands 21 doubles.

Shaw was a first-round pick in 2023 and had a quick rise through the Cubs' farm system and won't be a free agent until 2032. If the Cubs make him available, he's someone who checks the boxes of righty pop and solid defense, plus with years of control, he can just get better. This is the type of outside-ther-box idea that would help the team more than the current players consistently linked to the club.

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