The Cubs have used five different players at third base already this season, and that number will ratchet up to six once Nicky Lopez gets some action. That group has combined for -0.5 fWAR over 113 plate appearances, with Matt Shaw getting the most (67 PAs) and performing the worst (-0.4 fWAR). So why is he their best option to solidify the position moving forward? The simplest answer is that there really aren’t (m)any better solutions.
Unless you’ve got a time machine and the ability to incept the idea of bigger spending into Tom Ricketts’ mind back in December, there’s no point in pining for Alex Bregman.