Cubs control Matt Shaw's future. With a crowded infield, potential suitors must meet Chicago's steep price for the promising infielder.
Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw continues to pop up in trade rumors ahead of the 2026 season. With the Cubs signing Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract this offseason, that leaves Shaw in a weird spot.
There is simply nowhere for Shaw to play. The infield is set with Bregman at third base, Dansby Swanson at shortstop, and Nico Hoerner at second base. Those three players also very rarely take days off throughout the year.
That means Shaw is expected to be in more of a reserve role in 2026. While he could see some opportunities in the outfield, the 24-year-old is unlikely to see consistent playing time each week.
That’s why Shaw’s name continues to pop up in trade rumors. Teams are likely calling the Cubs to see what it would take to acquire him since he is the odd man out in that infield, and the front office is said to be listening to what teams have to offer.
But the Cubs hold all the leverage in any trade talks involving Shaw. They don’t need to trade him and could roll him out as a super utility player in 2026. This is a player who still has six years of team control left.
Even if the Cubs were willing to trade their young infielder, the price would be quite steep. He won’t become a free agent until after the 2031 season, and Chicago believes the best is ahead for Shaw.
So, teams might not be willing to pay what the Cubs want for him. That’s basically what ESPN insider Jeff Passan wrote on Threads a few days ago.
“Dealing Matt Shaw is complicated because the Cubs believe there's more than he showed last season, but teams are valuing him closer to the guy he was than the guy he might be,” Passan wrote.
At this point in the offseason, there appears to be one team that is in desperate need of a third baseman. That team is the Boston Red Sox, who lost Bregman this offseason and have yet to replace him at the hot corner.
According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox are one of the teams that have had conversations with the Cubs about Shaw.
However, Chicago is in the driver's seat in those trade talks with Boston. The Red Sox desperately need to upgrade their third base position before the season. The Cubs don’t desperately need to get rid of Shaw.
If a deal were to go down between these two teams, the Red Sox would likely have to overpay for Shaw. That’s because the Cubs hold all the leverage in these trade talks.
If Boston is willing to part ways with one of its top pitching prospects (Payton Tolle or Connelly Early) for Shaw, then there is a better chance that a deal gets done. But there is no indication that the Red Sox are willing to deal either prospect.
The Cubs won’t just trade Shaw because there is nowhere for him to play in 2026. The front office will get the most value for him. If a team isn’t willing to pay their asking price, Chicago will be fine keeping him.