Chicago Cubs Must Improve Third Base Position; Here's How They Can Do It
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Despite having baseball's hardest schedule in April, the Chicago Cubs are going to come out of the month at least three games over .500, and they hold one of the easiest remaining schedules.
After a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, Chicago sits at 17-12 atop the NL Central division. There is one thing still preventing Chicago from being a true contender in the NL, and that is third base.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 18: Vidal Bruján #17 of the Chicago Cubs plays third base during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 18: Vidal Bruján #17 of the Chicago Cubs plays third base during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.With their pursuit of Alex Bregman in the offseason, the Cubs clearly did not feel comfortable with what they were entering the season with at the position.
Top prospect Matt Shaw was given the starting job after his performance in spring training and Chicago hoped he would be the answer. That was not the case, and Shaw was optioned to Triple-A Iowa after just 18 games played.
Five players have spent time at third base for the Cubs already this season. That list includes Shaw, Gage Workman, Justin Turner, Jon Berti and Vidal Brujan. Those five players have given Chicago the No. 21 spot (-0.3) in Wins Above Average at the third base position.
It is not just the offensive struggles that are cause for concern, but the defensive struggles as well. Workman made two errors in just nine total chances, good for a .778 fielding percentage. Brujan made a costly mistake on Sunday that led to a Phillies run in the top of the 10th inning.
'You can argue up and back whether Bruján could have charged that ball and made a different play … He's playing way too deep to do that.'@MLBBruceLevine on the play that led to the Phillies' 2nd run in the 10th. pic.twitter.com/dJCqWsA15H — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 28, 2025
It is a position that is a clear weakness that Chicago must address before it becomes too late. There are a couple of different ways that the Cubs could approach the situation.
The first would be to bring Shaw back up to the major leagues and let him work out his issues. Yes, the struggles at the plate would be tough to look past, but his defense would be levels above anyone else currently playing the position.
The second way is to explore the third base trade market. There are a few trades that Chicago could explore to make a splash and massive upgrade at the position.
Whatever the final decision is, it is important that the Cubs address the situation sooner rather than later, before it begins to cost them games and potentially even a division championship.
More MLB: Phillies Predicted to Target $8.2 Million All-Star Closer in Blockbuster Trade
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
35 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ex-USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's first NWSL goal as told by her Stars teammates
Chicago Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher doesn't score often. When she does, though, she makes history. The former U.S. women's national team player earned the league's goal of the week for her stoppage-time equalizer against Seattle Reign, the first goal of her league career dating back to 2013, coming in her 200th appearance. Advertisement Naeher, who retired from international duty in 2024 after a decade with the U.S., has two World Cups and two Olympic medals to her name. However, on Monday night, the 37-year-old added something almost mythic to her resume: a tap-in goal in stoppage time to complete a three-goal comeback for Chicago. 'I get the hype now about Alyssa,' Stars midfielder Bea Franklin joked to The Athletic. 'On a more serious note, it was like we were living in a movie, and I just felt pure joy for our team and for Alyssa.' ALYSSA NAEHER'S FIRST-EVER NWSL GOAL AND ON HER 200TH CAREER APPEARANCE TOO!!!! — National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) August 19, 2025 Though Naeher has scored for the U.S. national team, including converting penalty kicks in three consecutive shootouts from 2023 to 2024, this goal is special. She is only the third goalkeeper to score in the NWSL, joining Michelle Betos and Bella Bixby. The Athletic asked Naeher's Chicago teammates to relive the moment. For 73 minutes, the night belonged to Seattle. A strike from forward Jess Fishlock in the opening three minutes, a bicycle-kick beauty from Jordyn Huitema and a lightning bolt from Emeri Adames just seconds after halftime had the home crowd at Lumen Field roaring. By halftime, the Reign looked untouchable; head coach Laura Harvey's grin told the story of three points all but secured. Soccer scripts rarely stick to a plan, though. Chicago clawed back, first through Brazilian striker Ludmila in the 73rd minute, then from defender Camryn Biegalski five minutes later, to make it 3-2. In the 99th minute, two minutes beyond the original seven, Chicago won a corner, and chaos erupted in the box. As Chicago set up for the set piece, Naeher sprinted toward the goal. With their brick wall moving forward, center back Sam Staab knew what that meant for her on defense. Advertisement 'I saw Alyssa run by me to go on the (Reign) keeper. I looked at (defender) Taylor (Malham) and said, 'Just don't get beat or let them out,'' Staab recounted to The Athletic. 'Right before the corner was about to be taken, I just had so much faith that we were going to score on this play. It felt like slow motion as I was watching the ball bounce around in the box,' Malham added. When the outswinging corner reached roughly 10 yards out from goal, Canadian midfielder Julia Grosso headed the ball into the scrum of players. 'I honestly think I blacked out a bit after I headed the ball and had no idea who hit the ball in the goal,' Grosso said. 'I'm so honoured to play alongside a legend and a great leader (like Naeher).' Reign keeper Claudia Dickey got a hand to the ball on the first few attempts, but couldn't clear it cleanly. 'The end was chaotic. Bodies everywhere. We knew it was the last kick of the game,' Naeher told the reporters after the game. 'Ally (Schlegel) is flying on the ground. I don't know who kept it alive in the first place to get a head on a foot on it. Claudia (Dicky) is diving, making, I think, one or two saves, and still the ball's bouncing around. That's just our group's mentality: throw every limb possible at it until the ball finds the back of the net.' Naeher smashed it in, though in the confusion, it wasn't immediately clear even to her. Biegalski was at the top of the 18-yard box. It was hard for her to see what exactly was happening, too. 'I originally thought the ref had called offside, so I threw my hands in the air like, 'What the heck!' Once I realized he had called a goal and I found out it was Alyssa who scored, I had chills from my head down to my toes,' Biegalski said. Rookie Jameese Joseph, who has a goal and two assists this season, was also unsure of where the ball was after Grosso's header. Advertisement 'I was at the top of the box and initially thought (it) hit the cross bar, (then) ducked underneath and over the line, so I immediately turned to the ref to make sure he looked at it. But by the time I turned around again, I see a bunch of bodies on the line and the ball in the back of the net and Alyssa's hands up in the air, and I immediately knew it was magic. 'She leads and advocates for us like no other, and I'm grateful to be led by someone like her. Her grit and determination to come up in the last few minutes show her heart.' German center back Kathrin Hendrich had made her way to the box, to her typical spot, on the corner. When she saw Julia's header come in, she was just focused on getting the ball across the line. 'I just thought, we need to bring the ball over the line, doesn't matter how. So, I ran to the ball and tried to keep it in the dangerous area,' Hendrich said. 'I just remembered that I saw Alyssa on my left, and I was surprised because I was thinking, 'Why is there a green player?'. Then I realized it was her, kicking the ball over the line. … I just felt happiness and a little bit of pain because I jumped against the post.' Another player who felt a mix of joy and pain was forward Ally Schlegel, who was on the ground with a cramp after the goal went in while the rest of her team celebrated Naeher's goal. 'I think I blacked out for most of the experience except for seeing Alyssa's foot smacking the ball into the goal past my face as my calf was completely cramped,' Schlegel said. 'I don't think any moment could describe Alyssa or this team more: from the bodies flying everywhere to the belief to the celebrations after the fact. There is no one easier to celebrate than Alyssa.' There was a belief among the team, even as the minutes clicked away, that Chicago, which only has one win this season, would find a way to get a point in the standings. Advertisement 'I remember standing on the sideline with some of the girls and saying out loud, 'Please let this go in,'' said forward Ava Cook, who was an unused sub during the match. 'I was sprinting onto the field and immediately circled back, realizing we still had to finish the game. I pretty much blacked out from going nuts on the bench, but I had enough adrenaline to run a marathon.' The draw didn't do much for Chicago's standing in the NWSL table. They are still second-to-last, only ahead of the Utah Royals, but the players described the moment as a reason to celebrate. Their team, which recently announced new head coach Martin Sjögren will join the Stars following the 2025 NWSL season, might have to look toward another rebuilding offseason. For now, though, the members of the team have a new spark to carry them through the weekend and possibly the season. 'I felt so much pride to be a part of this team playing in front of an amazing keeper, but I also felt an urge to get back because we still had to close out the game,' Biegalski said. 'Alyssa scoring during her 200th appearance to tie the game is about as 'Chicago grit' as it gets.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Bears sign backup QB Tyson Bagent to a 2-year contract extension through 2027
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears signed backup quarterback Tyson Bagent to a two-year contract extension through the 2027 season on Wednesday. Chicago also signed veteran running back Royce Freeman and placed running back Deion Hankins on injured reserve.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
FanDuel teams up with exchange operator CME for event contracts push
(Reuters) -Sports betting firm FanDuel has tied up with derivatives exchange CME Group to set its foot into the rapidly growing event contracts market, the companies announced on Wednesday. Event contracts allow investors to bet on the likelihood of specific events, ranging from sports and entertainment to politics and the economy. The nascent asset class has exploded in popularity in the U.S. since the 2024 presidential election. CME and FanDuel will launch new products later this year, allowing customers to express their views multiple times a day for as little as $1. The products will include benchmarks such as the S&P 500, oil and gas, and gold prices, as well as key economic indicators. As part of the partnership, CME and FanDuel will form a new joint venture and operate as a non-clearing futures commission merchant. "Individual investors are increasingly sophisticated and continually pursuing new financial opportunities," said Terry Duffy, chief executive of CME. Sports betting heavy hitters have been actively assessing event contracts opportunities while closely monitoring U.S. regulatory developments. FanDuel-owner Flutter also has over two decades of experience operating Betfair, the world's largest betting exchange, which shares similar characteristics with event contracts. While the event contracts landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, its push to the mainstream has been riddled with challenges on the regulatory front. Prediction marketplace KalshiEX and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission had tussled over a proposal to list contracts that Americans could use to bet on election outcomes. Robinhood also halted the rollout of its Super Bowl event contracts in February, just a day after the launch, following a request from the CFTC. Exchange operator MIAX CEO Thomas Gallagher last week told Reuters that the event contracts space is going to see "some explosive growth" but cautioned there needs to be more clarity on the regulatory front. Critics have also likened event contracts to gambling and say the asset class is introducing risk into financial markets. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
