With rookie Shaw still finding his way, should Cubs seek help at 3rd?

MINNEAPOLIS -- Cubs manager Craig Counsell held rookie Matt Shaw out of the starting lineup on Wednesday, giving the young third baseman a day to focus on his pregame work without worrying too much about the night’s game against the Twins.

“Just a little breather here,” Counsell said prior to the Cubs’ 4-2 loss at Target Field.

It was not the first time this season that Chicago has offered the 23-year-old Shaw a chance at a reset, as he has navigated the steep learning curve that can coincide with developing at the Major League level. Shaw has shown bursts of his potential and played increasingly solid defense, but the overall offensive production has lagged.

The question the Cubs need to answer in the next three weeks is whether help for third base needs to be added to the wishlist at the July 31 Trade Deadline. Names like Eugenio Suárez of the D-backs or Ke’Bryan Hayes of the Pirates have already surfaced as potential fits for Chicago in early rumors and reports.

Since the spring, the stated goal from Counsell and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has been that they believe Shaw can be a long-term answer for third base. That remained Counsell’s stance on Wednesday, when asked if that still felt like a “realistic” outcome for the rookie amid his persistent struggles.

“I do think it’s realistic. Yeah, absolutely,” Counsell said. “Just collectively, we’ve got to work hard to help Matt and to help Matt be the solution or just to be the guy we think he can be. That’s not going to stop. We’re going to keep doing that.”

On days when Shaw is not in the lineup, the Cubs’ options consist of utility men Jon Berti (Wednesday’s starter at third base), Justin Turner or Vidal Bruján. If Shaw is unable to get on a roll in the coming weeks, Chicago will have to gauge whether that cast needs to be reinforced via trade.

Counsell was asked if the looming Deadline might be adding another layer of mental pressure for Shaw.

“I mean, look, Matt’s gotten a great opportunity,” Counsell said. “He’s got an opportunity to play a lot, so I kind of take the other side of that. What an opportunity he’s been given. And he’s earned it, but what an opportunity he’s got. That’s how you keep looking at it. He’s got a great opportunity.”

Through 60 games played, Shaw has hit just .203 with a .570 OPS, two homers, 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases for the North Siders. Per Statcast, his average exit velocity (83.2 mph) and hard-hit rate (26.9%) are ranked near the bottom of MLB hitters (1% and 4%, respectively).

Shaw’s season can be split into three parts:

• After winning a spot on the Opening Day roster, Shaw hit .172 with a .535 OPS in his first 18 games this season. That led to a trip back to Triple-A Iowa, where he worked on tweaking his posture in the box and adjusting his leg kick.

• Shaw rejoined the Cubs on May 19 and went on a tear, hitting .339/.379/.500 with eight extra-base hits and seven steals in his first 17 games (66 plate appearances) back in the big leagues. His OPS reached a season-high .711 on June 7.

• In the 25 games that have followed, Shaw has hit just .122 (10-for-82) with a .366 OPS. That includes a 1-for-22 (.045 average) showing in July, leading to Counsell’s decision to give him the breather on Wednesday.

“I’ve made a lot of adjustments,” Shaw said recently. “I feel like the last three months of my life have been adjustments.”

That is not uncommon for a rookie cutting his teeth in the Majors.

“Matt’s a good young player who’s sort of finding his way in this league,” Hoyer said recently. “Obviously he went down in Triple-A and sort of did what we expected, came back, had some success and then he’s struggled. This is the pattern that a lot of young players go through.”

Hoyer pointed to Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who had a tough introduction to the Majors late in ‘23 and early on in ‘24 before finally taking off down the stretch last season. This year, Crow-Armstrong has been one of baseball’s elite power-speed hitters and is starting for the National League All-Star team.

“I’m not saying Matt’s going to have the August and September that Pete had last year,” Hoyer said. “But we had these same conversations about: Where is he? Where is his OPS? What’s this doing to him mentally? Is he going to be able to fight through this? I see a lot of the same things.”