I think Matt Shaw is going to be fine, but Cubs fans may regret losing Alex Bregman to the Red Sox. Like his ex-Astros teammates, Bregman brings a winning attitude to a clubhouse. The Cubs have been lacking player leadership for several seasons, and Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly have immediately filled that void. When you add Justin Turner and a rejuvenated Pete Crow-Armstrong to the mix, the gap closes quickly.
The Cubs have — dare I say — the type of swagger we haven’t seen since 2016, with Justin Steele being the lone exception.