The Chicago Cubs have activated right-handed hitting utility man Matt Shaw from the injured list after being out for two months. Shaw, who was primarily backing up in the outfield this year, suffered a wrist injury in late June that would not heal as fast as he or the Cubs would have liked.
However, it’s not as if the Cubs have necessarily missed Shaw’s presence, but that’s because of the great job rookie Pedro Ramirez has done in the infield, as well as the trade-deadline addition of Tyrone Taylor. Yet, Shaw’s return to the roster does provide another good option for Craig Counsell to use, especially against left-handed pitching.
Prior to the wrist issue, Shaw posted an .845 OPS hitting against left-handed pitching with a slash line of .279/.353/.492 in 68 plate appearances. Interestingly enough, the Cubs are keeping infielder Gabriel Arias on the active roster after acquiring him via waivers from the New York Mets last week. Arias is the clear-cut backup at shortstop to Nico Hoerner until Dansby Swanson returns from his oblique injury.
So, as he was doing for most of his playing time, expect Shaw to continue to play in right field and get into the lineup any time there’s a starting left-handed pitcher on the mound. Shaw obviously has plenty of experience playing in the infield, and seeing that Ramirez was sitting against most left-handed pitchers when Swanson was healthy, you have to think that Counsell will use a platoon at second base with Ramirez vs. righties and Shaw vs. lefties.
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As far as the roster move, it is once again Kevin Alcántara, who has been up and down from Triple-A to the Cubs all season long.
In his latest stint in the big leagues, Alcántara only got five plate appearances and only played in four games over two weeks. Overall this season, Alcántara has hit .240/.286/.360 with a home run in 28 plate appearances.
So, now that Shaw is back, and hopefully there are no setbacks after his week of rehab games, the Cubs’ position group is set for the next few weeks until Swanson returns. The bench will consist of Shaw, when Ramirez starts, Miguel Amaya, Michael Conforto, Gabriel Arias, and Tyrone Taylor.
