Cubs Bench Matt Shaw for Sunday, Start Michael Conforto in Right Field

Q: Should the Cubs trade a controllable young player like Shaw for pitching, or is this a short-sighted gamble?

The Cubs should trade Shaw only if the return is a controllable, impact pitcher; moving him for a short-term arm would be a short-sighted gamble. The case for dealing Shaw is real. Chicago has a clear pitching need, especially with rotation injuries and bullpen instability, and Shaw’s path to everyday at-bats is not clean. He has been moving between infield and corner-outfield work, and Sunday’s lineup change for Michael Conforto is another sign that his role is still fluid while Seiya Suzuki is out. That makes Shaw a logical trade chip. But Shaw’s value is exactly why the Cubs should be careful. He is 24, under club control through 2031, and already producing at a useful major-league level. The reported profile — roughly league-average to above-average offense, defensive versatility, and prior 3.0-WAR value — makes him more than expendable depth. Players with five years of control are among the most valuable assets in the sport. That means the Cubs should not move him for a rental reliever or a back-end starter. If Shaw is in a deal, the target should be a pitcher who materially changes the rotation and remains under control beyond this season, such as the type of arm teams build around rather than borrow for two months. So the answer is not a blanket yes or no. Trading Shaw for pitching is defensible only if Chicago is exchanging one long-term asset for another. If the return is short-term help, the Cubs would be selling too much future for too little certainty.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jun 28

Sunday's lineup leaves Matt Shaw on the bench against Milwaukee after he started the first two games of the series.
Shaw went 1-for-4 across those starts, though he also drew two walks and scored two runs.
Michael Conforto replaces him in right field and is set to bat seventh for the Cubs.