In light of Matt Shaw's demotion Cubs unveil a questionable plan at third base

Tuesday's victory over the San Diego Padres marked the beginning of a temporary period of time for the Chicago Cubs where Matt Shaw is not their starting third baseman.

Prior to the game, the Cubs made the difficult but right call to option their top prospect to Triple-A. In Shaw's place on Tuesday night was Rule 5 draft pick Gage Workman. Workman collected one hit in his two plate appearances before being replaced by Jon Berti.

It would seem likely that there will be a point again this season where Shaw is the Cubs' starting third baseman but in a season where the team has pushed their chips to the middle of the table, they can't afford to have a player go through the ebbs and flow his development at the Major League level.

That is why the Cubs' plan moving forward at third base is questionable. Patrick Mooney of The Athletic indicates that the plan is for the Cubs to rotate between Workman and Vidal Bruján at third base. Workman, an above-average fielder, will likely get the starts against right-handed starting pitchers, with Bruján getting work against lefties. Of course, Berti and Justin Turner will likely be sprinkled in at third base depending on the matchup.

The Cubs once again have a third base problem

Now, I don't want to be the guy who mentions that on the same day the Cubs optioned Shaw, Alex Bregman had a 5-for-5 day with the Boston Red Sox, including 2 home runs, but here we are. Sure, the Cubs were "aggressive" in their pursuit of Bregman but it wasn't an effort that is comparable to when other teams are pursuing top targets. The Cubs sent the message that their pursuit was tied to the caliber of the player, but one can't help but wonder, now, if the front office had an inclination that Shaw may be in line for a detour back to Iowa at some point this season.

Which brings us back to the present-day plan of having Workman and Bruján platoon at third base. That isn't a serious move from a team that has the expectation of reaching the postseason. The Cubs are hopeful that Shaw answers that question later in the season but that can't be counted on. As it sands, in the middle of April, third base might be a major weakness for the Cubs this season.