Playing time hard to come by, but Matt Shaw staying ready to do whatever – and play wherever – Cubs ask

SAN FRANCISCO – Less than a year ago, Matt Shaw was set to be a featured part of the Cubs’ present and future.

Then came the Alex Bregman signing, and Shaw’s immediate path to everyday stardom went “poof.”

Shaw is still a factor with these Cubs, a bench player who is being moved around the diamond – and even into the outfield – but his playing time, especially when compared to last year, has dropped off a cliff.

Since April ended, he has played in all of 16 games – a stay on the injured list wiping out his availability throughout the back half of May and into June – and he’s just 1-for-24.

Shaw has effectively become a specialist, starting when a lefty is on the mound and waiting for a late-game assignment as a base-runner or defender.

It has meant very limited action, which wasn’t exactly the plan, but it’s how things have shaken out.

“It’s hard, right?” manager Craig Counsell said Saturday. “I think he’s handled it really well. The playing-time situation’s not ideal. I wish we could get him more playing time. You still think, with [slightly fewer than] 100 games coming, that’ll happen. But that’s something you think about, that I would like to have in there more.”

Shaw’s earning compliments for how he’s stayed ready for anything. And that can mean any position. Already this season, Shaw has played six different positions, everywhere on the field besides pitcher, catcher and shortstop.

It’s a learning curve for the former first-rounder, one he’s still attempting to master the way he did third base, where he played great defense last season.

“I’m still figuring out the routines that go along with that,” Shaw told the Sun-Times on Saturday. “For me, the biggest thing is getting more ground balls at second, because I’m less familiar with second base, getting comfortable with double-play turns at second. And then trying to stay ready at third, as well. So I’m making some throws from third. And then also roaming around the outfield.

“Third took a good two and a half years. From Day 1 of the offseason to the end of the season, I was taking ground balls at third, preparing for third base. Definitely, a lot of time and effort went into third. I’m just trying to get a little more reps under me at second so I can feel a little more confident there, as well.”

The real Ben Brown?

It undoubtedly has been a terrific few months of work for Ben Brown. The right-hander brought a 1.74 ERA into his start Saturday and might be the Cubs’ best candidate to head to the All-Star Game.

But will he keep pitching like this?

“He’s done a great job of taking that step forward,” pitching coach Tommy Hottovy told the Sun-Times earlier this week, “and as a young guy, trusting that he can beat some of the best hitters in the game with the stuff, the confidence is definitely there.

“I’d love to say, yeah, that Ben’s reached his spot. But there’s always challenges. … Last year, Ben’s main focus was to be healthy all year. He accomplished that goal, but he wasn’t the best version of a pitcher that he wanted to be.

“Now, he knows what he has to do to be healthy, he knows the buttons he can push to do more to work on the things that are going to make him a better pitcher. … This is a good journey that Ben has been on, and he’s in a great place.”