Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show
Matt Spiegel reported Cubs, Red Sox had trade talks surrounding Matt Shaw
11 Feb 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What recent trade talks occurred between the Cubs and Red Sox?
Rahimi Harrison-Grody. The great Kevin Harlan. I just pulled through the Taco Bell drive-thru, and I've got a couple of big, nasty Supreme Burritos right here waiting to be eaten. You know, the first thing they ask you now, are you using the app? The app? No, I just want my burritos. I don't want to use an app. Bring a lot of mild sauce, because I'm going to squirt it all over the place.
Put some hot sauce on my burrito, baby. Rahimi Harrison-Grody. Middays, 10 a.m. to 2 on The Score. The 2-1 delivery. Contreras lines one. Caught by Horner. Through the first. They double up. Churrio. Inning over. Zach Zabin on the call. This is Rahimi Harrison-Grote on 104.3 The Score. And guys, don't be bugging Modest Booz Ellis of the Oakville now, okay? He blew up his spot on his own.
We got to have a code here. We can't be bugging him when he's there. You just gave it away again, though. I know, but I'm just saying. Now people are going to bug him. No, don't bug him. Don't. Actually, he seems like the type of athlete or human who would be amenable to somebody coming up to him and saying, hello, Modest. He'd probably say, hello, good to see you.
Yeah, because he's 21 and not yet jaded. I appreciate that. He's in his prime. He seems like a very nice person. He does. And it was nice of him to even say that. So meanwhile, you know, Kevin Harlan's going to Taco Bell and modest is at the Oakville. I like it. There's levels to this. There are people need range. Dang it. Yeah. Kevin Harlan certainly has range.
That's what I've learned from our conversations with him. Gift to us. Kevin Harlan telling us about his life every day. We love it. So you just heard the baseball call. Guess what? People are reporting and talking in Arizona.
And before they do that, there's also some news about really one of the biggest questions we're going to have until we have a certainty when it comes to how this Cubs infield is settled. Alex Bregman gets signed. Matt Shaw has many years of control. He's trying to develop. Nico Horner has a massive amount of value.
When you put it all together, it creates a lot of questions to this roster and how it's going to shake out, even in spring training. This is going to be one of those things that we're going to be tracking every single day to try to figure out a good problem. Is there more talent than the infield positions allow?
So Matt Spiegel yesterday on Spiegel and Holmes shared the information he received on the Cubs regarding Nico Horner and Matt Shaw. Take a listen. Nico Horner going to get traded? He has not. And I don't think he will be.
I think we can close the book on the idea that Nico was going to get dealt because the last team that desperately needed a second baseman and an infielder really to try and sort it out was the Boston Red Sox. And some stuff went on this week. The Boston Red Sox did call the Cubs. about Nico Horner. They ended up talking more about Matt Shaw than Nico Horner.
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Chapter 2: Why is Matt Shaw a significant player in these trade discussions?
And officially, because Alex Bregman, because Nico Horner, there may not be a spot at the end for somebody like that. Although, first round pick, don't know what he's going to be. There is value with Matt Shaw. Not just value because of that, but also because, let's be honest, there's going to be some type of work stoppage next year.
nico horner last i checked is a free agent at the end of this sure is and you have matt shaw under many many years of control so that's not something you just go around giving away again you you hit the hammer value yeah with the with the value of first round pick this guy was drafted to be someone he's already shown you as a glove gold or excuse me gold glove finalist how good he can be
Now, that's it. You know the upside. You also have a little bit of upside for just getting regular reps, right? Like that's the part of this that also helps in the equation. So that's why this is fascinating to play out and see, understand in real time what's going on with how they value this. So here's another thing that happened today. Craig Council has spoken in Mesa.
and listen to what Craig Council had to say about where Alex Bregman might fit into this thing. Of course, yeah, that's a possibility. But it's not Alex's third baseman. I think that's just a season thing, and you play it and see how it goes during the season. But, yeah, that's certainly one of the ways we can go. Wait, we didn't get the beginning part of that. What was he talking about?
So apparently there's a possibility of Alex Bregman moving to DH. Ah, okay. So he's saying there's a possibility that he could be DH. Okay. Now, I didn't take that as he's going to be the DH.
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Chapter 3: What does the Cubs' infield situation look like for the upcoming season?
I took that as get him off his feet a few days, DH him, and Matt Shaw gets some reps. They have that luxury with the extra infielder. Yeah. Yeah. I need more on that one. Yeah. I couldn't tell from the context. It sounded like Craig was saying, yeah, that's yes. We'll play him a DH sometimes. Exactly. Well, and I didn't know if there was a question there that was going to be included.
So we're chopping this audio up and remixing it for you. Not necessarily remixing it. We're just trying to get it on the air. real time, because that just happened a little bit ago in Mesa. So there is a possibility that Alex Bregman could DH, which will also make it make sense.
You know, if you're trying to get people regular reps, if you're trying to get everybody fitting in, you know, I know there's been some discussion about Moises Ballesteros in all of this, but Alex Bregman, at least immediately, is a much better prospect if that's where he's going to go. Yeah, I mean, Moises Ballesteros, Kevin Alcantara. Do we start to talk about James Trianta?
Chapter 4: Is Nico Horner likely to be traded this season?
Some of the bench guys that are on this team. Let's not get too far down that bench. I know, I know. Let's not get too... This is the time to do it, though. This is the time to do it. If you get too far down that bench, and then you're left with those options as regular players because of injuries... Things are not going to go the way you think they are or you had hoped they would go.
Well, and that's why I love the Matt Shaw part of this, that it puts him in the ā because they couldn't quite figure out Matt Shaw last year. The ups and downs were real, and that should be allowed for a rookie. But the signing of Alex Bregman put everybody in their proper slots of importance in terms of people are not overpromoted.
It might have been an overpromotion to think that Matt Shaw is an everyday player at this point. Now you don't have to think about it. Well, there's more. Oh! Yeah, so Craig Council also today spoke on Matt Shaw getting work in the outfield. I think Matt kind of heard what he wanted. What he was hoping to hear is that we're going to play him in multiple positions.
And I think he was in his mind ahead of it a little bit and excited about it. So it really just... I think the outfield is the thing that's going to be newer for him. There's a number of positives we have working for us. One, Matt's a really good athlete. I think he's demonstrated that.
I think he demonstrated last year a position change, and very much I think we all saw it improved as he worked, as he put in work for it. That's a very positive step. He's going to have some work to do this spring. He's not afraid of that. He's a worker. He loves that part of it. He loves the challenge of it. So this is not on my top three list of things to worry about, I'd say.
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Chapter 5: How did the Red Sox's recent trades impact their needs?
I think Matt's going to do this great. And We were a healthy group as a position player unit last year, very healthy group. If that happens again, great. But I think you anticipate probably a little more happening, and that's where Matt's going to be very important. Oh, man. Okay, so does that change your mind when you hear that? When he said not top three, I was like, so is it number four?
That's the first thing that comes to my mind. So unnecessary. Honestly, guys, this is not even top three, but I'll answer your whole question. Maybe, but top three is just too narrow of a focus. It's so funny, man. I love it all because it's like, okay, so it's there, but it's not.
there right it's going to take a lot of work and look we've seen it before infielders converted to playing outfield we've seen it on the kyle schwarber as an example he was a catcher they had to teach him how to play left field i'm not saying he'd ever be yet yeah that's fair leila it did not it did not start well no it didn't no it didn't some of us didn't think he was going to make it but he did ian happ is a great example ian happ played infield he
played a couple games, I think, at second base on the Cubs watch, but he's become a gold glove left fielder. Is it easy? Probably not easy, but it would seem that Craig Council, not on his top three list, thinks that this could be your versatile player. We have luck in our game. Did anybody follow up and ask him what the top three is? Did anybody go that far? We need that.
Okay, so what are your top three? What should be his top three things that he is most concerned with on this team right now? Like something that he can be hands-on with. What would that be? Getting PCA back together? I would argue it would be the health of fill-in-the-blank. That's number one. Maybe health overall is number one. Want to make sure we're healthy as we start spring training.
Want to make sure Kate Horton's good to go. Justin Steele is coming along nicely. Is that what you mean, guys, like that? The rotation is what he... That should be. You're right. Getting the starting rotation after the Cubs fizzled out last year with the pitching, that probably should be number one. Well, what about also just the availability of pitching?
Like, if that was really his main concern, was they didn't have enough pitching. And he didn't specify as to whether or not it was starting or relieving. Based on their actions, you would think it might be relief. But... Oh, Edward Cabrera and maybe Zach Gallin. Right, we still don't know what's happening with Zach Gallin.
So is pitching still the main priority for him because that's what Jed focused on as well? Well, I guess the bullpen is probably something that he's anxiously awaiting. Well, at least putting it together. You know there's Daniel Palencia. You know that Caleb Theobar is back. Ben Brown, always there. Always there for you. Always there. Good old Ben Brown.
Ben Brown is always there for our discussion, it feels like. Porter Hodge, does he become something? So as a manager, ultimately... I hope he becomes something different than what he was at the end of last year. I hope so, too. Yeah. But good arm. So maybe it's the bullpen. So here's what we do. We get Conor Bedard, Modest Boozellis, PCA, and Kayla Williams together at this dinner.
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Chapter 6: What are the implications of Matt Shaw's control years for the Cubs?
We know. I stay out of Milwaukee business, although I am glad that they ā because Caleb Durbin is really good. What is Michael Bush's ceiling? Because he at times, and you can make a case that he was their most productive player last year. When allowed to play. When allowed to play. What do you have, 31 home runs last year? Give me 40 bombs. What is that man's ceiling?
I'm very curious about that. I mean, are you kidding? First it was just get him to play every day. Now we've got to figure that out. And if his ceiling is anything like his playoff performance, sign me up. Right. Who are you, Michael Bush? I don't know who you are yet. Who are you? I am. I'm Batman. I'm not Batman, but I'm not the Joker either. Are you Weed Man? No, that's Weeder.
That's Dan Weeder. You're definitely a superhero. No, I'm not a superhero. I'm just a regular guy. I like regular guy. I can blend in with the crowds. You can do both. Hoodie up and then nobody even knows I'm coming in. Come on, Marshall!
Is this like when Joel Embiid would be out and about and he'd put his hoodie on and you're seven feet tall, Joel Embiid, like everybody knows it's still you with your hoodie? Listen, Joel Embiid, so many Shirley Temples, so little time. Now, that's a metabolism. Oh, yeah. We'll tell you that story. In the meantime, I think we have to do this.
It was the least likely place I think I've heard a confession. Oh, your Olympic story? Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Sorry, Olympic story. Oh, I didn't want to give up. Sorry. We got to do it next because there's more to it than we even think. Uh-oh.
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