Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw’s frustration at bench role may have peeked out in latest quote

The Chicago Cubs are not in a great spot right now. Coming off a ten-game losing streak that battered their morale, the team is now 3-3 in its last six games with their first place standing now diminished to a lowly fourth place in the NL Central Division and a half-game out of a Wild Card spot.

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But a cavalry—of sorts—may be on the way, at least that’s what the team hopes with two months still to go before trade deadline and a lot of question marks plaguing them. Starting pitchers Matthew Boyd and Edward Cabrera will be back in the rotation shortly. Utility asset Matt Shaw will also be back in the majors before too long.

Matt Shaw begins rehab assignment

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The 24-year-old Shaw played the first game of his rehab assignment for the Iowa Cubs on Tuesday, going 0-for-3 as he started in center field for the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate. He got his first at bat against the rehabbing Justin Verlander, pitching for the Detroit Tigers affiliate Toledo Mud Hens.

The Cubs’ 2023 first round draft pick was placed on the 10-day IL May 22, retroactive to May 20, with mid-back tightness.

The sophomore Shaw has played well for the big league Cubs despite what had to be a disappointing turn of events that saw him lose his starting third base gig to incoming free agent pickup Alex Bregman. Switched to a super-utility role off the bench, he’s played every position but shortstop, pitcher, and catcher so far this season.

On the surface, he’s received the new role maturely and has been an asset on the Cubs’ fortified bench. Although he’s hitting at about the league average at .242, his versatility has helped provide added depth and roster flexibility for manager Craig Counsell.

Beneath the surface, though, there has to be a bit of frustration.

A touch of frustration with Cubs role?

Some of that frustration may have surfaced, ever so slightly, in a recent interview with the Des Moines Register in talking up the start of his rehab assignment.

“It’s not like my role was necessarily every day anyway in the big leagues, so I definitely feel good and obviously have some rest and am getting my back in a good place,” Shaw said after the game, referring to his current physical state. “But I feel great.”

“It’s definitely a lot easier to play one position than to move around a lot,” Shaw added. “I’ve realized that playing six, seven different positions, I think the best thing I can do is just kind of be average at all those positions. You just don’t have enough time in the day to be trained at seven positions like it is when you play there every day and you’ve got your routine and all those things. I’m figuring it out.”

Realistically, no young player sets out to be a bench asset. It’s probably especially hard to see his team flounder as he sits idly by, believing that he could contribute to a greater degree. Career-wise, it’s also not great to be a utility man instead of an every day player.

The Cubs will have to decide how they want to use Shaw or they may lose some of the mental edge that made him a great prospect to begin with. Does he have more value as trade bait or as a role player/insurance, especially ahead of a year where Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki may be gone via free agency?

A decision will have to be made soon.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-matt-shaw-frustration-rehab-ssignment/