Cubs’ trade deadline plan should remain the same despite Matt Shaw’s latest surge

After a new batch of swing changes, Cubs rookie Matt Shaw has been tearing the cover off the baseball since the All-Star break. Shaw has delivered with a newfound sense of power, clubbing three home runs in the last five games, already surpassing his total of two before the break.

The Cubs elected to sit Shaw for the three games heading into the break, keeping him on his toes with a pinch-hit appearance here and there. The time off allowed him to focus on his latest swing adjustment, opening his stance by a matter of inches. 

The results speak for themselves. In the six games since the break heading into the weekend, Shaw was batting .474 with nine hits, three of them leaving the yard. We’ve seen players like Miguel Amaya and Pete Crow-Armstrong have torrid second halves after minor tweaks, and Cubs fans may just be treated to another shortly.

Matt Shaw's latest surge comes at a tough time for the Cubs front office

While the plan initially was to hand the keys of third base to Shaw and let him develop at the big-league level, his struggles put the Cubs in a precarious position ahead of the Trade Deadline. With the team falling out of first place in the NL Central for the first time this season, now is the time for the front office to be aggressive. 

Even after acquiring Josh Naylor, the Seattle Mariners still look to be a suitor for All-Star third baseman and Cubs target Eugenio Suarez. The Yankees' acquisition of Ryan McMahon shrank the field by at least one club vying for his services. Suarez would represent a major upgrade to a Cubs offense that already boasts juggernauts of Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, and Michael Busch.

Even with Shaw’s resurgence, the Cubs should absolutely still look to upgrade at third, even if it’s for a bench bat, another disastrous void in the roster. Shaw has shown flashes of potential across the season, but nothing has shown it can be sustainable as of yet.

Shaw’s adjustments may finally take him to the next level, but it is also entirely possible they don’t. With the Cubs now playing the role of the hunter, it is imperative they stay aggressive throughout next week’s Trade Deadline. If an opportunity comes to upgrade the position, they absolutely need to take it.