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Cubs Remain Active in Third-Base Market Amid Matt Shaw’s Recent Resurgence

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 6:30 PM ET

After a slow start to his big-league career, Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw is gradually getting into the swing of things. Shaw is in the midst of a four-game hitting streak, during which he is a combined 6-11 at the plate with two home runs and four RBIs, and has seen his batting average jump back above .200.

Despite this string of positive performances, though, the Cubs have not deviated from their plans to address the third base position ahead of the trade deadline, manager Craig Counsell said.

"I don’t think any evaluation is ever made on two days," Counsell said, via The Athletic's Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma.

Shaw, who has served as the Cubs' everyday starter at the hot corner for most of the 2025 season, has put up subpar numbers in his first 67 MLB games. Across 218 at-bats, he is credited with just four home runs, 19 RBIs, and a .216/.288/.321 slash line.

The lack of production the Cubs have gotten from Shaw and others who have split time at third base has made the position an area for improvement before July 31.

"Though Shaw has emerged as a solid defender, he’s accumulated 170-plus plate appearances since being recalled from Iowa in late May without gaining much traction," Mooney and Sharma wrote. "Chicago’s third basemen rank at the bottom of the majors in too many offensive categories. Ever since spring training, when free agent Alex Bregman decided to sign with the Red Sox, this area has been an obvious concern."

Should the Cubs decide to trade for a third baseman, they could find a potential suitor in Eugenio Suárez, a slugger who represented the Arizona Diamondbacks in the All-Star Game last week. Suárez's strong offensive contributions thus far in the 2025 season – his National League-leading 36 home runs and 86 RBIs, in addition to a .933 OPS – would immediately inject power into a lineup that already includes the likes of Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, and Seiya Suzuki.

The Diamondbacks, however, may wait to see if they remain in the playoff picture a week and a half from now before deciding whether to move Suárez and other valuable trade chips on their roster.

"It’s no secret that the Cubs are looking at Suárez as a potential upgrade at third base," Mooney and Sharma wrote. "The Diamondbacks, though, have signaled that they are prepared to wait until next week before making their buy-or-sell decision. Arizona coming out of the All-Star break and sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals to get back to .500 is an indication that the Cubs may have to consider Suárez alternatives."

It remains to be seen whether such a deal between the Cubs and Diamondbacks will get made, but Mooney and Sharma noted that the positive relationship that exists between Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen – dating back to their time in the Boston Red Sox's front office – is another factor that could get the trade across the finish line.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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