It would seem that Matt Shaw is all but ready to rejoin the Chicago Cubs this week.
Shaw has been tearing it up with the Iowa Cubs over the last couple of weeks, and on Sunday, the biggest indicator of the team's top prospect being recalled may have happened. Shaw was scratched from the Iowa Cubs' starting lineup on Sunday after originally being in the lineup.
With the Cubs set to start their road trip on Monday night against the Miami Marlins, the speculation is that Shaw will join the team in Miami. In addition to not being in the starting lineup for the Iowa Cubs on Sunday, Shaw wasn't spotted in the team's dugout.
Cubs' general manager Carter Hawkins was asked about Shaw's return timeline before Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox, and Hawkins suggested that his return was nearing.
Through 110 plate appearances in Triple-A this season, Shaw is slashing .286/.409.560/151wRC+ with 6 home runs. Part of the reason why the Cubs optioned Shaw as quickly as they did is that it was clear that the young third baseman was quickly losing his offensive approach. Shaw's struggles led to his already unique mechanics reaching a point where there wasn't going to be a path to consistent success at the Major League level. In his recent plate appearances with the I-Cubs, Shaw seemingly has corrected his posture.
The Cubs are set to play the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies in two of their next three series. If the goal is to create a softer landing for Shaw than the one he had at the start of the season, now would be the time to pull the trigger on his promotion back to the Major League level.
Shaw's imminent return comes on the same day that the Cubs are rumored to be keeping tabs on Colorado Rockies' third baseman Ryan McMahon. Before the Cubs would entertain such a move, they likely want to have a definitive answer on whether Shaw can be the answer at third base this season. If he can, there would be no reason for the Cubs to trade an aging veteran who wouldn't be a clear answer to one of their biggest needs.