As the Chicago Cubs have been linked to free-agent third basemen this offseason, mainly Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suárez, the team has been determined to say how much they like Matt Shaw and believe in his long-term outlook. They certainly aren't wrong to have that belief. Shaw's defense at third base was excellent throughout all of 2025, and there were large stretches in the second half where he was key contributor to the team's offensive success.
In any other offseason, the Cubs would be correct in believing that they don't need an upgrade over Shaw at third base.