The Chicago Cubs are rolling through May, holding a 34-21 record and a three-game lead in the National League Central.
The pitching staff has done a nice job navigating through the losses of Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga, with Imanaga’s return set for mid-to-late June.
But the real reason the team is embarking on its first postseason berth since 2020 is the offense. It is at the top of just about every hitting stat, even with a revolving door at third base 55 games into the season.
The Cubs began the season with rookie Matt Shaw starting at third base, but decided to send him down by mid-April after he struggled to hit big league pitching.
The team recalled Shaw on May 19 and he has made an immediate impact since. In eight games, Shaw is slashing .355/.412/.516 with five doubles and three RBI.
He has hit safely in six of the eight games, including four multi-hit performances. The latest came in Tuesday night’s heroic walk-off win over the Colorado Rockies, where he knocked in Jon Berti in the 11th inning for his first career walk-off.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Shaw spoke with Marquee Sports Network reporter Elise Menaker after the game about the moment and what has changed since being sent down.
“This is amazing. What an amazing place to hit a walk-off,” Shaw said with a smile. “So much has changed. I had a lot of perspective after getting sent down, understanding some things I was going to do differently this time around and it’s been working.”
It isn’t just the bat that looks good, he has made sparkling plays defensively that has put the Cubs’ worries at ease.
The Cubs will look to sweep the Rockies on Wednesday night in Chicago.
More MLB: Red Sox announce when Kristian Campbell could make debut at new position
