The Chicago Cubs have brought Kevin Alcantara back to the roster, a move that comes after the club had seemed to cool on the 23-year-old outfielder in recent weeks.
Alcantara’s path with the Cubs has been a strange one since the 2024 season ended. An injury situation pushed him into his debut during the final week of that year, but the team still made a point of finding him playing time. The same general pattern followed in 2025, when he appeared in only 10 games for Chicago.
Earlier this season, the Cubs turned to Alcantara when their offense was struggling, but the usage never really turned into much. He logged just 10 plate appearances and was mostly deployed as a pinch-runner, which led to some mental mistakes on the bases. Since then, Justin Dean has filled that role and handled it well, which is about all you can ask from a spot that doesn’t offer much playing time.
That backdrop made Sunday’s game a little more notable. Dean pinch-hit for Matt Shaw in a meaningful plate appearance, and after the game Craig Counsell said Shaw had been taken out because of wrist soreness. That set up the roster move the Cubs made today.
It also says something about where the Cubs stand with Moises Ballesteros. Rather than recall their Opening Day DH, they’re keeping him with the Iowa Cubs so he can keep getting regular work as the team’s catcher. A return still seems likely at some point this season, but not until there’s a clearer path to give him consistent plate appearances.
Shaw’s situation is now the bigger concern. Jesse Rogers reported that the injury is a mild sprain in Shaw’s left wrist, and he noted that Shaw is headed for an injured list stint.
The timing matters. Since coming back from a back injury, Shaw had started to settle into a semi-regular role in the lineup.
Over his last 43 plate appearances, he hit .257/.395/.457 with a 143 wRC+. While Dansby Swanson - when he’s not facing Mets pitching - and Alex Bregman have both been in rough stretches, the hope was that Shaw could become a meaningful piece for the Cubs going forward.
Now the injury may ripple beyond the lineup. It could force Jed Hoyer to rethink how he handles the trade deadline, because even if the Cubs had no intention of dealing their former first-round pick, having Shaw available likely made them more comfortable with the idea of trading Pedro Ramirez. With Shaw sidelined, that may no longer be the case.
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