Matt Shaw just did something no other Cubs third baseman has done this year

After struggling in his first taste of big-league action, Matt Shaw has been on a tear since his return to the Chicago Cubs. He’s been getting on base at a high clip of .365 since the call-up and has been able to drive the ball to both sides of the field now due to a swing adjustment. 

Along with some stellar plays at the hot corner, Shaw is finally starting to live up to the potential the Cubs saw when they decided to carry him on the 26-man roster to open the year. Still, there is one area of his game that has been lacking a touch.

While his average exit velocity is still well below league average, Shaw has certainly been hitting the ball harder lately. The only issue? Shaw’s hits had exclusively stayed in the ballpark heading into Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers. 

On a day where home runs were flying out of the ballpark for the Cubs, Shaw stepped up to the plate in the midst of a 4-1 game in the top of the seventh inning. Shaw took the opportunity to join the home run party, depositing a 2-1 changeup deep into left field for his second homerun of the season. 

Matt Shaw’s home run was an encouraging sign, but it exposed a major issue with the Cubs’ roster so far this season

According to Marquee Sports Network commentator Jim Deshaies, Shaw’s blast was the first by a Cubs third baseman all season. You may be thinking that Shaw’s home run was his second of the season, and you would be correct. However, his first home run came as a pinch-hitter, entering the game at third later in the eighth inning. 

Other than Shaw, no other Cubs third baseman has displayed any sort of power, a stat that has gone under the radar due to the influx of power at other positions, but a concerning one nonetheless. 

Hopefully, Shaw’s blast is a sign of things to come for the Cubs’ offense, as they currently sit in fifth in Major League Baseball with 88 home runs as a team. If Shaw can begin hitting for more power, it would make one of the most deadly offenses in baseball even stronger as they push for a postseason berth.