The Rundown: Shaw Seems Like Obvious Trade Candidate, Cabrera and Bregman Start Strong, Bucknor Out of His Depth as Umpire

“Here’s to the babies of a brand new world;
Here’s to the beauty of the stars.
Here’s to the travelers on the open road;
Here’s to the dreamers in the bars.” — Let the Day Begin by The Call

I loved the barroom discussion in the comments section of the piece Jacob Zanolla wrote yesterday. I didn’t realize Cubs fans were so protective of Matt Shaw, and I also don’t believe that Jefferson Rojas is blocked because Nico Hoerner signed his extension. The answer is obvious from my seat, so allow me to break it down for you.

1. Shaw is the guy the Cubs should/will trade in the short term. Yes, he offers versatility and a bat that projects to get better, but he needs regular playing time. He’s also coming off a rookie season where he was surprisingly adept at third base and is reportedly better as a second baseman. He’d be an enticing target for the Mariners, Angels, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Cardinals, and Brewers. The Dodgers are also looking for affordable, controllable players. Shaw’s value will only drop if he sees a reduction in at-bats once Seiya Suzuki returns.
2. Hoerner is the clutch bat with the defensive chops to play all over the field once Rojas matriculates to the bigs. Dansby Swanson will be 34 in 2028, Hoerner will be 31, and nobody knows who will be manning the outfield corners then. Future outfield free agency classes are threadbare at best, and at least one intriguing — if not far-fetched — trade idea made its way into my inbox yesterday. The Cubs won’t get Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope from Los Angeles for Shaw, but there will be enough demand to keep offers competitive.
3. Shaw is not an outfielder, and hoping he’ll grasp the nuances of the position as he did at third base last year might be a tall ask. He struggles with his routes and has a weak arm. Additionally, he doesn’t provide enough offensive firepower to permanently lock down a corner spot. Shaw’s bat speed is in the 65-70 mph range, so he’ll need elite barrel accuracy to provide value as a long-term outfield solution.
4. Good organizations don’t stash projectable players at the major league level. That’s why Kevin Alcántara is at Iowa, and it’s also why Craig Counsell prefers easily replaceable veterans at the end of his bench. Shaw could join Alcántara in Des Moines once Suzuki returns, if only to protect his trade value.
5. I do want to add that I’m not sold on Rojas, either. I know the Cubs have been aggressive with him and he’s responded well for the most part, but still has much to prove. Hoerner might be Chicago’s shortstop once Swanson’s contract is up, and Rojas should get the first shot at the keystone. Still, we’re three free agency and draft classes shy of that decision date. That’s half the baseball shelf life of most non-superstar position players.

Shaw is therefore the obvious trade candidate, if only because he has nothing left to prove in the minors. Saving the second-year infielder for an unforeseen rainy day should be considered shortsighted, as his value lies in his potential trade return, not as a barely passable outfield option.

Cubs News & Notes

• The Cubs were ice cold in the field and at the plate in yesterday’s 2-0 loss to the Angels.
• Hoerner’s $141 million guarantee is the fourth-largest ever for a second baseman.
• Michael Busch has become an indispensable part of what is now an indispensable Cubs’ infield. I haven’t seen an infield with this kind of star power since the mid-’70s Dodgers with Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Steve Garvey.
• Edward Cabrera was everything we’ve hoped he’d be in his first start as a Cub.
• You can say the same about Alex Bregman, who flashed a little power at Wrigley Field on Sunday.
• Cabrera became the first Cubs pitcher to throw six shutout innings while giving up one or fewer hits and one or fewer walks in his team debut since Don Cardwell accomplished the feat on May 15, 1960.
• It’s easy to see why Jed Hoyer has had his eyes on Cabrera for the past few seasons.
• Ben Brown was excellent in last night’s loss and might be on the verge of a breakout we’ve all been waiting for.
• Brown added a sinker to his repertoire this year, a pitch he learned while working with Clay Holmes during the offseason.
• Reliever Hunter Harvey did not want to pitch for a team that plays in one of the larger cities. The Cubs convinced him to change his mind.

Ball Four

CB Bucknor looks like he wants nothing to do with umpiring a baseball game. Bucknor’s call at first base was so bad that players on both teams were laughing at him.

Yeah this is the worst call in baseball history

CB Bucknor might not have a job in a month at this point pic.twitter.com/QIuSAvkwG5

— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) April 1, 2026

Central Intelligence

• Milwaukee (4-1): The Brewers’ uncanny ability to create wins when defeat seems certain is an all too sad and familiar story for Cubs fans.
• St. Louis (3-2): The Cardinals and top prospect JJ Wetherholt are discussing a contract extension, according to Jon Heyman.
• Cincinnati (3-2): You’re probably not going to want to run into Reds manager Terry Francona this summer at your public pool or beach.
• Pittsburgh (2-3): Pirates players are celebrating home runs with a welder’s mask and singles with an orange traffic cone. You can now buy t-shirts that say “Hoist the Cone.” Perhaps a Conehead night is in the cards later this summer. Ah, you can’t beat fun at the old ballpark.
• Chicago (2-3): The Cubs said Suzuki will go on a rehab assignment when they begin their six-game road trip Friday. They haven’t decided whether he’ll go to Iowa or to Tennessee, or how long the assignment will be.

How About That!

Shane McClanahan took the mound last night for the first time in 972 days. He retired 12 of the first 13 Milwaukee batters he faced, with a second-inning walk to Gary Sánchez as the lone exception, and carried a no-hitter into the 5th inning.

Rookie righty Andrew Painter was magnificent in his debut for the Phillies.

José Fernández had an even better night for the Diamondbacks, becoming just the seventh player to hit multiple home runs in his inaugural big league game.

The first player to accomplish that feat was Charlie Reilly in 1889. Chase DeLauter did it on Opening Day this year for the Guardians.

What would you say if I told you that the iconic show This Week in Baseball is returning this weekend? Is that something that would interest you?

Who is baseball’s best current player, two-way star Shohei Ohtani or slugger Aaron Judge?

Apropos of Nothing

I believe Hoyer is using contract extensions to combat the Dodgers’ exuberant spending. Locking down core pieces on team-friendly extensions is one of the best ways for a team to keep its books clean, especially with a potential lockout looming. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Extra Innings

Ian Happ is playing like he called dibs on Chicago’s next contract extension.

TALK NICE TO HIM. 😌 pic.twitter.com/I4vB0fJ3Sy

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 28, 2026

High and Tight

I was at the Brewers game last night, and frankly, I’m lucky to be here writing this morning. Christian Yelich just missed on a 4th-inning fastball from McClanahan and fouled it straight back. I was in the first row of the Club Level section, head down, checking in on the Cubs game when a 100 mph missile whistled by within an inch or two of my right ear. Lesson learned. Keep your eyes on the game and off your phone.

I’m going to watch the replay of the game later today. I also almost got run over by a speeding car leaving last night’s game, but that’s a story for another time. My heart is still beating at an unnervingly rapid rate.

They Said It

• “It felt good. It’s a weird thing. Spring Training, I was pretty atrocious — really can’t get any worse. But I think in the back of my mind, I was always just telling myself, ‘Let’s get out of Arizona. Let’s get to Chicago, get to Wrigley, just get where it matters and we’re game-planning a little more.’ Glad to see I wasn’t crazy for thinking that the whole time. It felt good to just get back out there and start the year on a decent note. I know I can be a lot, lot better. But this was a good start.” – Taillon
• “[Cabrera] He has treated this, being a Cub, as a real new start to his career. And a fresh start. And I think you get excited about that. I think he’s excited for this day to finally be here.” – Counsell

Wednesday Walk-Up Song

I do like Milwaukee’s club level section, especially for its amenities, and our tickets were only $22 from Vivid Seats. That said, baseball is meant to be played outdoors.