CINCINNATI — In a moment that easily addressed the Cubs community and fans everywhere, Chicago Cubs young third baseman Matt Shaw excused himself from the Sept. 21 game to fly to Arizona to attend a memorial service for Charlie Kirk, the friends and Cubs fans Shaw had posed with at Wrigley Field last month.
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“I paid him a heartfelt tribute,” Shaw said in a post-event press conference. “The last words to me were, ‘Keep fighting—for the people who believed in you.’ Now, I have to get back to my resolution to fight as hard as I can, to win for him.” Those words echoed through every breath of Cubs fans—not just a personal loss, but a commitment to do more.
One of the Cubs’ most developed players this year, Shaw has had a pretty impressive first season in MLB. Despite his strong run, he’s not trying to put sentiment and gratitude above his schedule—a surefire decision, especially during a crucial stretch of the season.
The Cubs lost 1-0 to the Reds on Sunday, a game without Shaw in the starting lineup, who was flying to Glendale, Arizona, where Kirk was being held for Memorial Day. Coach Craig Counsell confirmed Shaw “was absent today because he was attending the funeral of a friend.”
Shaw is expected to return to the team the next game, eager to join the lineup in high spirits. He knows the fans and teammates are watching his every move. And the promise to Charlie Kirk—who believed in him—is a bigger motivator than any outside pressure.
Some might say it’s risky to miss out now—especially with the Cubs in the playoff race—but for Shaw, it’s not just about odds or fish. It’s about loyalty, about paying back the people who influenced him. When he returns, we’ll see if this mythic spirit can fuel the Cubs’ biggest push yet.
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