MILWAUKEE — Consistency has eluded third baseman Matt Shaw in his rookie season, which was to be expected from an inexperienced player.
But with the Cubs playing Game 1 of the National League Division -Series against the Brewers on Saturday, they’ll need Shaw to contribute offensively to lengthen the lineup. Shaw is 0-for-7 in the playoffs and struck out three times in the Game 3 clincher against the Padres. He said he learned how to control his emotions during the wild-card series.
“Similar to the [regular season], you’re learning every time you come out,” Shaw said Friday. “The postseason has a different atmosphere. Whether it’s the postseason or not, you’re going to make mistakes offensively. [I’m just] continuing to grow and making adjustments no differently than I’ve tried to do all year.”
Shaw batted .172/.294/.241 in his first 18 games. The Cubs sent him to Triple-A Iowa to fine-tune his mechanics.
When Shaw shortened his exaggerated leg kick, it allowed him to be on time more consistently at the plate. But Shaw also said he had a mental reset around the All-Star break that allowed him to refocus and produce. He batted .258/.317/.522 in the second half.
“The biggest thing for me that I learned is a perspective change —to have fun and enjoy being [in the majors],” Shaw said. “It’s the major leagues, and I have a job to do, but at the same time, I should have fun while I’m out there.
“That freedom to play and enjoy playing allowed me to have a lot more success. It allowed me to change the way I looked at every at-bat [and] put a lot less pressure on myself.”
Shaw’s teammates haven’t lost faith in him and believe he’ll be able to contribute at the plate against Milwaukee.
“We faced a really good staff,” first baseman Michael Busch said. “Shaw’s done a good job of bouncing back throughout the course of the season. I know he’s gonna do that this round.”
In the second inning of Game 3,
Shaw struck out with the bases loaded. Though the Cubs ended up scoring two runs in the inning, it just as easily could have turned into a squandered chance.
The postseason is about exposing weaknesses, and the Padres were aggressive in using fastballs against Shaw. It’s likely the Brewers will have a similar strategy.
But the beauty of the playoffs is that past results mean little for predicting future success. Pete Crow-Armstrong looked overmatched in the first two games of the wild-card round before going 3-for-4 in Game 3.
“Every day, it feels like there’s a new kind of hero for our team that’s coming up, stepping up and helping us win that game,” Shaw said. “It’s something that’s really cool about our team. I feel like anyone, at any time, can step up and get those big hits. Hopefully, we can start rolling as a bunch a little bit more, myself included.”