Chicago Cubs Top Prospect Will Not Be Ready for Opening Day in Japan

The Chicago Cubs are still searching for their opening day third baseman, and it will not be their top prospect when they head to Japan in March.

Cameron Zunkel | Feb 26, 2025

Iowa Cubs 3rd baseman Matt Shaw swings the bat at a pitch on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at Principal Park. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs open up their season earlier than the rest of the league when they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo, Japan.

All offseason, the Cubs have been searching for somebody to earn the starting job at third base for the Tokyo series, and they thought they found someone to be that guy in top prospect Matt Shaw. However, he suffered an oblique injury during the first couple days of spring training.

Usually, the injury would not be a huge deal because the season does not start until very late in March. Chicago's situation is unique as they take on the Dodgers in mid-March for the two-game international series. With that, the Cubs are now scrambling to find somebody to play the hot corner for the two games.

The Northsiders were hoping for a speedy recovery from the right-handed hitter, but it does not seem like that will be the case.

Per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, Shaw is not going to be ready for Japan.

"There's no way he's going to be ready to go there and compete," Levine said on the radio show.

Levine mentions that Shaw is taking batting practice led by the coaches, but he is still not seeing any game action, and the Cubs are taking it easy with his recovery.

With the 23-year-old being out for the opening games in Japan, Chicago will have to find somebody else to fill that void.

The Cubs were able to sign Justin Turner to a one-year deal, which gives them some depth at the position. Since his true rookie year in 2011, the 40-year-old has not finished a season with a batting average lower than .259. He is still a very good hitter, so his bat is not the issue.

Defensively, the two-time All-Star has been playing mainly first base in the last two seasons. However, he still has the ability to play third base. For the two games in the capital city of Japan, Turner would not be a bad option to start at the position.

Jon Berti is the other option. Berti signed a one-year deal with Chicago this offseason, and the Cubs could turn to him to play third base with Shaw being out. He has played third the most of any position in his career. But there are some flaws with him defensively, and he has already made an error in spring training. Still, the 35-year-old has a chance to take over with Shaw out.

Vidal Bruján is another candidate to start at the hot corner. He has not played any games there during spring training, though. It is more likely that Bruján will get playing time at second base with Nico Hoerner being out.

Shaw being out throws a wrench in the Cubs plans for opening day. The platoon options are limited, so Chicago will have to get a little bit creative. When he gets healthy, though, expect Shaw to find his way into the starting lineup.

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