When Matt Shaw made his debut at Wrigley Field, the vibes were electric. The Cubs’ No. 1 infield prospect had earned his shot, and fans were ready to embrace a new era at third base. For a while, it looked like he might deliver. But as the summer’s grown hotter, Shaw’s bat has gone ice cold, and the patience in Chicago’s front office is starting to wear thin.

Now, with the trade deadline looming, the Cubs are being urged to pivot to stop hoping and start dealing. That pivot? Hijacking the Yankees’ pursuit of Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez, a $66 million slugger who’s become one of the hottest names on the market. He’s everything Shaw hasn’t been: proven, powerful, and playoff-tested. And for the Cubs, he may be the answer to a question they didn’t want to ask this soon.

“You know what? I think they [the Yankees] got a good shot at it… But the Cubs have got to look at Suárez,” said Bleacher Report insider, Jon Heyman this week. “Shaw does not look like the producer they expected. I do think he’ll be a very good player. But it’s tough, rookie year, not easy.” His message was clear: Chicago can’t afford to just hope things turn around. Not in a division race this tight.

Suárez steps up to the plate in this scenario as an infielder who has smashed over 30 home runs in seasons and adds a competitive edge that the Cubs’ lineup is currently missing. He isn’t meant to obstruct Shaw’s long-term aspirations. But acts as a connecting link, a role that might assist Chicago in getting through the fiercely competitive National League landscape.

The Cubs might choose to stay put and hope that Shaw picks up momentum in August to make a move. However, there’s a chance that Suárez ends up in the Bronx, hitting doubles while Chicago’s offense struggles. With the NL Wild Card competition getting tighter and the Cubs desperately needing a spark, this trade rumor is more than gossip; it’s a measure of how committed the front office is to winning immediately.

The Matt Shaw problem the Cubs didn’t expect

Just look at the numbers: since late June, Matt Shaw has managed a .105/.171/.132 slash line across 41 plate appearances, that’s four hits and only one extra-base hit in that span. Before the All-Star break, Chicago benched him for three straight games after going hitless in 26 at-bats to start July. That’s no lineup tweak, it’s a yellow flag signaling that something’s not clicking.

Digging deeper? His Statcast data raises even more concern. With an average exit velocity in the high-80s mph (83.2 mph per MLB.com) and a hard-hit rate hovering around 26-27% bottom 1-4% of all hitters, it’s clear Shaw has trouble consistently driving the ball. Pitchers have noticed. His BABIP is abysmal, but that low contact quality suggests it’s no fluke; it’s a swing that’s flattening under real MLB offerings.

And the mental side isn’t immune. Manager Craig Counsell defended Shaw’s opportunity, saying, “This is an opportunity for sure,” even as the slump deepened. But when a rookie’s bat goes quiet, and the organization responds by benching him during a playoff push, doubts follow. With the Cubs surging and third base ranking dead last in wRC+ among MLB teams, just 51 combined patience is turning into pressure.