Latest news with #MattShaw
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luis Arraez's RBI single
Matt Shaw's RBI double Matt Shaw lines a double to right-center field, scoring Nico Hoerner and opening the scoring for the Cubs 2-1 in the bottom of the 2nd 0:23 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
New York Post
08-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Fantasy baseball: Stashing prospects can be solid strategy — but don't bank on it
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. Prospect fever is real. Every season, fantasy baseball managers scour minor league boxscores and prospect rankings in hopes of discovering the next big breakout star before anyone else. Though this strategy can pay off, stashing rookies on your fantasy roster is trickier than it seems — especially when roster spots are limited and immediate playing time isn't guaranteed. Talent alone isn't enough, opportunity is just as important. Take, for instance, top prospect Matt Shaw. He is loaded with upside, but what makes him an appealing stash is his clear path to at-bats. An infielder in the Cubs organization, Shaw has surged through the system and is knocking on the door with little in his way at second base or third, depending on team needs. Matt Shaw hits a single in the ninth inning of the Cubs' road loss to the Nationals on June 5, 2025. AP When a rookie's timeline aligns with organizational need, stashing makes sense — even if the player is not on the roster yet. Nevertheless, many prospects, even those producing elite numbers in Triple-A, are stuck behind established big leaguers. Case in point: Jordan Lawlar. Lawlar, one of the most talented young infielders in the game, is raking at Triple-A Reno. His numbers are fantasy gold — .339/.419/.583 with seven home runs, 37 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. But there is one big problem: There is no room for him in Arizona's infield. Ketel Marte is an All-Star at second, Geraldo Perdomo is quietly excelling at shortstop, and Eugenio Suárez remains a productive veteran at third. Lawlar's recent eight-game MLB call-up underscored the issue — he barely saw the field and was quickly sent back to the minors. As long as the Diamondbacks remain healthy and competitive, Lawlar's fantasy impact will remain limited — regardless of how ready he looks in the minors. Roman Anthony runs to first base during a Red Sox spring training game against Mexico's Sultanes on March 24, 2025. AFP via Getty Images Another prime example is Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony. The 20-year-old is drawing attention with his high OBP and emerging power — .291/.422/.485 with nine homers and three steals at Triple-A Worcester. From a raw talent perspective, Anthony looks like a future star. But Boston's outfield is crowded. Ceddanne Rafaela is a regular in center field, Wilyer Abreu is playing well in right, and Jarren Duran has secured left field. Unless the Red Sox make a trade, shift Rafael Devers to first base (which opens up the DH spot or third), or move Rafaela to shortstop (pushing Trevor Story off the field), there is no room for Anthony to see regular big league at-bats. In redraft leagues, wasting a roster spot on a stash with no clear timetable for promotion is dangerous. Roster flexibility is critical, especially during the long grind of the fantasy season, when injuries and slumps require constant adjustments. Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting The bottom line: Fantasy managers need to weigh not just talent but opportunity. Stashing a prospect like Matt Shaw? Go for it. But holding onto Jordan Lawlar or Roman Anthony in standard formats may do more harm than good — at least for now. Howard Bender is the head of content at Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning 'Fantasy Alarm Radio Show' on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to for all your fantasy baseball news and advice.
New York Times
07-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Matt Shaw completes an already dangerous Cubs lineup
The potential search for a third baseman on the trade market for Chicago Cubs team president Jed Hoyer and his front office. In an era when third basemen aren't as productive as years past, prying any good ones away from teams, contenders or not, would have been difficult and come at a high cost. The Cubs always saw Matt Shaw as the best-case solution to their hole at third. Whether he could actually produce was the only question worth asking. From the time Shaw was sent to the minors on April 14 to when he arrived back on May 19, Cubs third basemen posted a 38 wRC+ with just four doubles in 105 plate appearances. Advertisement Before Friday's 3-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers, in 59 plate appearances since his return, Shaw had a 132 wRC+ with six doubles. Then, against the best pitcher in baseball, Tarik Skubal, Shaw went 2-for-3 with another double. Where once there was a revolving door at third, Shaw has taken a great lineup and solidified its one weak spot. 'I think we're dangerous right now,' Craig Counsell, Cubs manager, said. 'What you always want is — they say, 'length,' which really just means you have a lot of players who are capable of changing the game and doing something to help on a daily basis. I think that's what we have.' When Shaw was sent down to the minors, he was tasked with making some mechanical adjustments — he's more upright in his stance — and worked to rebuild his confidence. Shaw said the mechanical adjustments didn't take long to become second nature. 'He's himself offensively right now,' Counsell said. 'That's the biggest positive. He needed the reset. He did a good job with his time, our staff did a good job with his time in Iowa.' Shaw has always been known for his ability to hit the ball hard and on a line. In his first stint in the big leagues, he had a line-drive rate of 20.5 percent and a hard-hit rate of 12.5 percent. That led to a 63 wRC+ and a very uncharacteristic 26.5 percent strikeout rate. This time, the line-drive rate has jumped to 23.9 percent and the hard contact is at 26.1 percent. His strikeout rate is back to a more Shaw-like 15.3 percent. 'It's good to see those results,' Shaw said. 'Even when they're catching it, I'm spinning the ball better, hitting more fly balls, hitting balls harder. It feels like baseball's always felt for me.' Those early struggles took a mental toll on a player who has had very few slumps in his professional career. Seeing the results over the last few weeks has him believing he belongs. Advertisement 'Just mentally I needed to get back in a position where I'm on time,' Shaw said. 'Get on top of the baseball. I just feel like myself again. Realizing that I can be myself and play here in the big leagues, it's exciting.' What's exciting for anyone watching the Cubs is that this offense feels complete. There are no weak spots in the lineup. This is a group that can handle a slump from one key player because someone else will step up. Having so much talent, whether it's a veteran like Kyle Tucker or an emerging star like Pete Crow-Armstrong, means there's very little pressure on Shaw to perform. Just go out there and be yourself. The rest will take care of itself. 'I want to perform no matter what,' Shaw said. 'I want to be a great contributor to this lineup. Every day I'm trying to put together better at-bats and continue to grow. I feel very blessed to be in a great lineup. We're winning games and putting together amazing at-bats one through nine. Being in a great lineup is a lot of fun. You can see that watching us play, we're having a lot of fun.' In one of his first days back in the big leagues, Shaw had a question for veteran Justin Turner: 'When did it go from feeling like the big leagues to just baseball?' There can be an overwhelming nature for athletes when reaching the highest level. The pressure is intense, the need to perform is high. Failure could mean you might be sent packing. Shaw allowed that feeling to overwhelm him once before. Now he's at peace with his failures. In fact, he has learned from them. In doing so, he has become the third baseman the Cubs so desperately needed. 'That's how I'm starting to feel,' Shaw said. 'I'm realizing this is just baseball.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cubs' Matt Shaw delivers walk-off as team stays hot vs. Rockies
The post Cubs' Matt Shaw delivers walk-off as team stays hot vs. Rockies appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Chicago Cubs continued their hot streak Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, taking down the Colorado Rockies 4-3 in 11 innings thanks to a dramatic walk-off hit by rookie Matt Shaw. With their fifth straight victory, the Cubs improved to 31-24 and widened their lead atop the NL Central. Advertisement Shaw, one of the Cubs' most highly touted young talents, stepped up with two outs in the 11th after Michael Busch tied the game with a clutch RBI single. With runners on and tension high, the rookie delivered the biggest swing of the night — a bloop single to right that sent Wrigley into a frenzy. MLB's official account on X (formerly Twitter) posted the moment, capturing the rookie's walk-off in real time. 'The rookie gets it done 😤 Matt Shaw walks it off for the @Cubs!' The game wasn't easy. Colorado briefly took the lead in the top half of the 11th inning when Brenton Doyle grounded out to score the go-ahead run. But the Cubs, who have now gone 8-2 in their last 10, showed why they've become one of the hottest teams in baseball. Advertisement Rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong started as the free runner on second in the bottom of the inning and quickly stole third base. Busch tied the game, and after a pinch-runner and a walk, the stage was set for Shaw. The walk-off win capped a night that showcased the Cubs' depth, resilience, and youthful energy. Shaw, selected 13th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, has quickly made an impact at the next level. His single was just his 21st hit of the season, but may go down as the most memorable so far. As the Cubs winning streak rolls on, the energy in Chicago continues to rise. With strong showings from both rookies and veterans, the team looks locked in heading into the weekend.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
With the wind in their face, Cubs showing they can handle the pressure
CHICAGO — Here's how well things are going at Wrigley Field these days: Before Tuesday's game, a reporter asked manager Craig Counsell if it's 'really tough' on the coaching staff and players to win so many close games because the intensity of it all is so 'wearing.' 'I would call it fun,' Counsell said. Advertisement And that was before it took 11 innings to put away the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on another chilly late-spring evening when the wind was blowing in at Wrigley. Oh, the humanity! Will the Cubs (34-21) survive being … good? 'It hasn't been wearing at all,' Counsell said Tuesday afternoon. 'This is what you want, to be in these situations. No team goes out there and just sits there and it's 7 to 1 in the fifth every day. That's just not how the game works. You've got to scrape and claw to win every big-league game. And it's always going to be that way. But that's the fun of it, trying to do that every night.' You would've thought the Cubs would have a 7-1 lead at some point in the first two games against lowly Colorado, which dropped to 9-46 and 3-24 on the road with Tuesday's loss. But as a former Cubs manager used to say, they can't all be oil paintings. In reality, when the wind is whipping in at Wrigley Field, it's the great equalizer. Cubs executives pray for that weather when good teams like the Phillies and Dodgers come to town. But they want a jet stream to Waveland when the likes of the Rockies are on the other side. Maybe that kind of challenge is good for a team's soul, because the big-swinging, best-offense-in-baseball Cubs showed once again they can win it any way they want. After falling behind by a run in the top of the 11th, they tied it on Michael Busch's check-swing single to left and won it on Matt Shaw's blooper to right. According to the team's game notes, the Cubs are now 10-7 this season when the wind is blowing in at the beginning of the game, compared with 4-0 when it's blowing out and 3-1 when it's a cross-wind. Matt Shaw was FIRED UP after his walk-off single! — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) May 28, 2025 Just a few days ago in Cincinnati, the Cubs won a game 11-8 after scoring seven runs over the seventh and eighth innings. On Tuesday, they led 2-0 early and had to wait until the game's end to lead again. The Cubs have 16 comeback wins this season and three walkoff ones through 55 games. No wonder people are so worried about Counsell's heart rate. Advertisement They also improved to 8-4 in one-run games. Last season, they were 23-28 in that scenario. That tracks. In recent years, you've watched Cubs games and expected something to go wrong. Not at a 2024 White Sox level, but still. Frankly, that kind of North Side pessimism goes back to the waning days of the 2018 season, when everything went south just two years after the World Series. This season, you watch and expect the Cubs to win, no matter the deficit and even with some shaky bullpen outings and a variety of injuries. The lineup, which is first in baseball or close to it in most offensive categories, is deep and dangerous. 'I've been with teams with really good offenses, I've been with teams that don't, and it's a bad feeling to know that an early deficit is going to make that game a real challenge,' Cubs president Jed Hoyer said. 'And this team has been unbelievably resilient. I think that builds some character early in the season.' Injuries have been creeping up on the team over the first two months and I suppose that builds character too, or at least reveals how good of a job a front office has done at building depth in the upper levels of a farm system. Justin Steele, who is out for the season after elbow surgery, showed up Tuesday with a brace on his left arm, and Shota Imanaga (strained hamstring) keeps working to get off the injured list sometime in the next month or so. Catcher Miguel Amaya is out for at least six weeks with an oblique strain, and reliever Porter Hodge is dealing with a similar injury. But the Cubs are mixing and matching — Reese McGuire has been a nice addition to the best catching corps in baseball — and still winning. Hoyer described Sunday's game in Cincinnati as one of those 'games that people remember.' More than a lot of sports executives, Hoyer understands the power of narrative, but more importantly, he knows how those kinds of situations make a team stronger. 'You need some moments to build that camaraderie,' he said. 'You need to have heroes who aren't the same heroes over and over.' Advertisement The usual heroes are nice too. Every day we find a new way to rave about the toast of Chicago, Pete Crow-Armstrong — his jerseys are selling so quickly, Sports World on Clark and Addison has to order extra letters to make its own — and even on a night when he didn't get a hit or a walk, he still came through with his speed. He knocked in the second run of the game with a hustling fielder's choice and then scored the tying run in the 11th on Busch's excuse-me single only after stealing third. He was the first guy on the field to celebrate the rookie Shaw's heroics. Shaw was sent down in mid-April after a slow start at the plate, and since he's been back, he's 11-for-31 and the Cubs are 6-2. Hoyer's immediacy in making changes this season hasn't gone unnoticed. Given that he's in the last year of his deal, you might expect his patience to be thin, but it's more than that. Expectations have returned to Wrigley Field and everyone is acting (and playing) accordingly. They say you can't win a pennant in May and June, but the Cubs proved last year that you can lose one. They went 21-34 in those two months while the Brewers went 32-23. Milwaukee ended up winning the division by 10 games. With Tuesday's win, the Cubs are 16-8 this month and have a three-game lead on St. Louis in the division. June arrives on Sunday. Surely, Counsell isn't getting any gray hairs from another close win. He might have to deal with some smile lines.
