Jed Hoyer opens Winter Meetings with comment that felt straight out of the playbook

Given the uptick in rumors connecting the Chicago Cubs to free-agent third basemen, it was inevitable that someone was going to ask Jed Hoyer about Matt Shaw at the Winter Meetings this week. Leave that to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, who offered Hoyer's current assessment of the Cubs' young third baseman.

"I've been surprised by the number of media reports that link us to different guys. There is zero lack of confidence in Matt. I would say the opposite," Hoyer told Rogers.

Reading between the lines, this feels like a pure leverage play from Hoyer, and it doesn't necessarily mean he isn't telling the truth either.

Whether it's Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suarez, or even Munetaka Murakami, the Cubs' interest isn't tied to any disappointment they may have had over Shaw's rookie season. Considering the Cubs are in the middle of their contention window, and their offense has taken a hit with the departure of Kyle Tucker, it stands to reason that Hoyer and Co. would look for a path to improve the starting lineup. The only area where the Cubs can accomplish that is third base.

Jed Hoyer's message from the Winter Meetings sounds like a direct leverage play against Scott Boras.

It's not an indictment of Shaw, who would move into a utility role on the Cubs' 2026 roster if someone like Bregman were signed. Not to mention, with Nico Hoerner a free agent after next season, Shaw could easily slide back into the starting lineup as the team's second baseman in 2027.

It's also important to remember that there very much could be a scenario where the Cubs don't land any of the third basemen that they have been connected to. Had Hoyer said anything other than endorsing Shaw, it would have created an awkward situation moving forward. Especially since the Cubs made a push to land Bregman last offseason.

Two things can be true: the Cubs can like Shaw and his long-term outlook on the roster, and they could also realize that the offense needs a boost, and upgrading at third base is the easiest option. The Cubs' belief in Shaw is not tied to their current free-agent pursuits, and Hoyer's reminder is likely the first step of a larger negotiation.