Surprising Trade Candidate Emerging from Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have been slipping lately, losing seven of their last nine games. They now hold only a half-game lead on the Milwaukee Brewers and just one game on the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central Division going into Tuesday's play.

The starting pitching woes have started to have an effect, as they've surrendered 26 runs in their last three games, going into Tuesday's play. The Cubs are without several upper-end of the rotation arms, and will need to address that.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, to get that done, the team might have to trade a valuable support piece:

The Chicago Cubs, who are seeking a front-line starter at the trade deadline, may have no choice but to move infielder Matt Shaw, who’s blocked at third base by Alex Bregman and second base by Nico Hoerner. He has been in the starting lineup just 22 times this season.

Matt Shaw was Cubs' No. 1 prospect a year ago, but is becoming trade candidate

Shaw, 24, was a first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft by the Cubs, and was their No. 1 top prospect heading into last season. His athleticism and versatility make him a super utility guy for the team, having played every position on the diamond at least once other than catcher and shortstop. His hitting isn't up to par with his defense, as he has a league-average bat, with a .690 OPS across his season and a bit in the Windy City, with a 98 OPS+.

But Shaw possesses both power and speed, and was an elite offensive player in the minors, posting a .301 average and .915 OPS across three seasons.

The Cubs are without a top starter in Cade Horton, Rookie of the Year runner-up last season, for the entire season, and former ace Justin Steele won't be taking the mound until at least after the All-Star break. More recently, Matthew Boyd has joined the infirmary, with surgery for a left meniscus injury.

The Cubs have been tied to several top trade targets on the mound, and they'll be a team to keep an eye on as we head into the summer.