Health aside, Cubs may be wise to hold Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw out of Japan Series

Editor's Note: Since this post was initially published, multiple reports confirmed that Nico Hoerner will stay in Arizona during the Cubs' upcoming trip to Japan and Matt Shaw will begin playing in Cactus League games in the coming days with no restrictions.

In less than two weeks, the Chicago Cubs pack their bags and head to Japan for the Tokyo Series. Shota Imanaga will get the ball in the season opener on March 18 and, just like that, the 2025 MLB regular season will be underway. The big question for Craig Counsell's club at this point is what the starting infield will look like, with a pair of key names working their way back from injury.

On Wednesday, we learned Matt Shaw won't be ready for game action by mid-March, which isn't a big surprise. The Cubs have no reason to rush him back from a minor oblique issue and focusing on the team's stateside opener in Arizona on March 27 is the priority. The same can be said for Nico Hoerner, who continues to ramp up following flexor tendon surgery last fall.

In the latest episode of the North Side Territory podcast, Cubs beat writers Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney offered some updates on the pair of infielders, saying he's been seen throwing and long-tossing, both promising signs, and noted that while Shaw hasn't been seen hitting on field, he prefers to do a lot of his work in the cage, so he may be trending in the right direction, as well.

At least right now, it seems like all good news on the Hoerner/Shaw front. But, as Brett Taylor at Bleacher Nation pointed out in his AM roundup on Thursday, Chicago might continue to take things slow with both guys as far as Japan goes, because it could allow them to take the full month of March to evaluate the rest of the infield picture.

Behind Justin Turner, Jon Berti looks like a lock to make the 26-man out of camp. The real competition is between Rule 5 pick Gage Workman and former top prospect Vidal Brujan. With Workman, the complication comes in the form that if the Cubs like him, he (as a Rule 5 selection) has to stick on the big-league roster all season long or be offered back to the Detroit Tigers. He also has no Triple-A experience, so it remains to be seen how he'd fare going up against MLB pitching (although the early spring returns have been solid).

Brujan, meanwhile, is out of minor league options, so the Cubs would have to pass him through waivers if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster. He's viewed as a more versatile defender and is a plus baserunner, but Chicago is working Workman into the outfield mix, too, so that's something to keep an eye on.

What it boils down to is this. We'd all love to see Shaw and Hoerner suit up in Tokyo in a few weeks, but if pulling back on them means they're both ready to go for the other 160 games, the Cubs will be in a much better spot long-term, and can make a better decision on how they want to round out the bench.