The Cubs’ infield has been a problematic situation for years, but that narrative flipped quickly after Alex Bregman signed a mammoth five-year, $175 million deal with Chicago yesterday. Suddenly, the Cubs feel overloaded. Now, the ripple effects are impossible to ignore. His arrival immediately puts pressure on Nico Hoerner at second base and rookie Matt Shaw, who played a crucial role in stabilizing the infield during the 2025 season.

Now the Cubs face some big questions heading into the season. Where does Matt Shaw fit now? And more importantly, will Hoerner still be wearing white and blue when the season begins?

Now the Cubs suddenly have real depth in the infield, and that gives them a couple of clear paths forward. They can either put Matt Shaw over to second base or trade Nico Hoerner. Other than that, the Cubs can keep Hoerner around for another year and use Shaw as a super-utility weapon before Hoerner hits free agency after the 2026 season. Let’s start with the first scenario, Shaw at second base.

If the Cubs go the first route, it becomes the logical next step to use his value while they still can.

That move would lock in a clean, everyday infield: Dansby Swanson at shortstop, Alex Bregman at third, and Shaw at second.

Shaw was excellent defensively at third base in 2025. He finished with a +12 Defensive Runs Saved. Still, plenty of scouts believe second base might actually suit him better.

Shaw’s arm has long been labeled “fringy” for third base, where longer throws across the diamond matter more. He played second base in college before shifting to shortstop, so moving him back would feel logical. The downside? It likely marks the end of Hoerner’s time in Chicago. As a two-time Gold Glove winner, Hoerner would draw serious trade interest and could bring back a quality starting pitcher or strong prospect package.

The second option is to keep Hoerner and turn Shaw into a super-utility player.

That keeps the Cubs’ middle infield intact, and arguably the best defensive one in baseball. Hoerner is a high-contact hitter, an excellent baserunner, and one of the toughest outs in the league. He struck out just 49 times in 599 at-bats in 2025, which is elite in today’s game.

Replacing that kind of reliability with rookie Shaw would be a risk for a team aiming for October. Instead, Shaw’s versatility would make him a premium option.

Big Night for Chicago

January turned into a dream month for Chicago sports fanatics. It all started with the Cubs landing Alex Bregman. It’s huge because they finally got their guy after failing to sign him a year ago on a four-year, $115 million offer. This time it was their day. Chicago swooped in and stole Bregman away from the Boston Red Sox with the richest salary deal in Cubs history.

The 31-year-old opted out of the remaining $80 million on his Red Sox contract and flipped it into a franchise-record $35 million per year deal with the Cubs, complete with a full no-trade clause and zero opt-outs. It’s a massive show of commitment from both sides.

Only Jason Heyward’s eight-year, $184 million deal and Dansby Swanson’s seven-year, $177 million contract top Bregman’s in total value.

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By the end of it, Bregman, who turns 32 in March, will earn $215 million over six years. The Cubs feel locked in with the move, especially given Bregman’s leadership and winning pedigree.

He’s made the playoffs in every full season of his 10-year career, which is exactly the kind of presence Chicago wants in its clubhouse. That’s also why the Red Sox pushed hard to bring him back and finished as the runner-up in negotiations.

And the city wasn’t done celebrating. Over on the football side, the Bears delivered a massive moment of their own, grinding out a 31–27 playoff win over the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Caleb Williams took over late, leading multiple fourth-quarter scoring drives.

He converted a huge fourth-and-8 with a 27-yard strike to Rome Odunze. After that capped it off with the go-ahead 25-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore with under two minutes left.