SAN DIEGO — The Chicago Cubs have optioned top prospect Matt Shaw to triple-A Iowa after a disappointing start to the rookie third baseman's career.
Shaw, the No. 13 pick in the 2023 amateur draft, is just 10 for 58 with one homer and three RBIs. He has 18 strikeouts in 68 plate appearances.
“We want to get a productive player back," manager Craig Counsell said before the Cubs played the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night. “Sometimes you have to take a step back to do that. At this level it’s production and the point we’re at, obviously you give guys time to work through it but we just thought we saw enough where we kind of needed to take a break from this level and get some at-bats at triple-A.”
Counsell, a former major league infielder, said it's normal for young hitters to struggle.
“He’s just been up against it a little bit to start the year,” he said. "Sometimes it is just some success that kind of reframes it some and gets you good feelings back and good vibes back and gets you back to being that offensive threat.”
The Cubs also placed right-hander Eli Morgan on the 15-day injured list because of an elbow impingement. Infielder Vidal Bruján was reinstated from the 10-day IL, and right-hander Nate Pearson was optioned to Iowa.
Left-hander Luke Little and right-hander Daniel Palencia were recalled from triple-A before the Cubs' game at San Diego.
Counsell said Morgan felt something in his elbow on Monday night, when he got two outs in a 10-4 loss. The team will figure out what's next when it returns to Chicago after Wednesday's game.
Morgan, acquired from Cleveland in November, has a 12.27 ERA in seven appearances. He went 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 32 appearances last season for the AL Central champion Guardians, who had the best bullpen in the majors in 2024.
The Cubs were leading the NL Central at 11-8 entering Tuesday's game against the Padres. They lost ace Justin Steele to a season-ending left elbow injury.
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