The Chicago Cubs built one of the deepest and most well rounded rosters in baseball coming into the 2026 regular season, but unfortunately, as is the case for many teams around the sport, injuries have defined their campaign thus far.
Despite all of this, the team currently sit at 46-38 on the season, with just 5.5 games separating them from first place in the National League Central and the utterly dominant Milwaukee Brewers, with the team thrilled to be where they are given the injury toll. Unfortunately, the injury situation doesn’t appear to be getting better, and after being dealt some major blows to the starting rotation, it’s seemingly the lineups turn to now miss a big piece.
Matt Shaw Becoming a key Piece of the Cubs Future
GettyMatt Shaw of the Chicago Cubs.
Back in 2023, the Chicago Cubs used the No. 13 overall draft pick on the versatile, power hitting Matt Shaw, and throughout his professional career thus far, things have been trending in the right direction. Last season, he made his big league debut and appeared in 126 games for the Cubs, hitting 13 home runs and driving in 44 runs in that time, and in 2026, much was expected of the now 24-year-old.
Early in the year, he’s shown some immense potential, hitting .246 with a .737 OPS alongside 4 home runs and 20 RBI, and for the most part, he’s shaping up to be a massive piece of the puzzle in Chicago as they look to win their first World Series since their historic run in 2016. While he’s not been settled in to a particular position yet, playing everywhere but pitcher, catcher and shortstop in 2026, Shaw’s versatility is part of what makes him so appealing for the Cubs, and especially as the injury toll mounts, he becomes more and more valuable.
Matt Shaw Placed on the Injured List
Unfortunately, his promising sophomore campaign has been put on hold for now, as ESPN’s Jesse Rogers has reported that Shaw will be placed on the 10-day Injured List after being removed from Sunday’s game for a pinch hitter.
According to Rogers, it’s a mild sprain to Shaw’s left wrist that will see him spend some time on the IL, and while it’s not considered serious, given the amount of other injuries this team has had, replacing another player is the last thing that they wanted to be doing. Thankfully for the Cubs, they’re an organization with plenty of depth, and while Shaw’s bat will be missed after some solid performances as of late, they’ve proven how resilient they can be as they believe they could be a genuine World Series contender in 2026 when fully healthy.
It’s likely not to be a huge stint on the Injured List for the talented 24-year-old, but given how important rhythm and consistency are to young players in Major League Baseball, this is a major setback for the former first-round pick, and for now, the Cubs will have to replace yet another player as they look to continue their momentum heading into the All-Star break.
Cubs Dealt Another big Blow; Place Rising Star on Injured List