Chicago Cubs rookie Matt Shaw was not in the lineup Sunday as the team dropped a 1-0 decision to the Cincinnati Reds, with manager Craig Counsell confirming afterward that the third baseman was “unavailable” while attending “the funeral of a friend.”
That friend was conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed less than two weeks ago during an event at Utah Valley University. Shaw traveled to Glendale, Arizona, for Kirk’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium, where photos showed him among the large crowd gathered. Signage for Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, could be seen in the background.
The nature of Shaw and Kirk’s relationship isn’t fully clear, though they had crossed paths recently. On August 20, after a Cubs 4-3 win, Shaw posed for a photo with Kirk and Brewers first baseman Michael Busch. On September 10, the day Kirk was assassinated, Shaw was scratched from the Cubs’ lineup with what the team called “personal reasons,” though he later appeared as a pinch hitter.
Sunday’s service was a major public event, drawing tens of thousands of attendees and high-profile figures including Elon Musk, Vice President JD Vance, and former President Donald Trump.
For the Cubs, Shaw’s absence came in the finale of a divisional series as the team continues to fight for positioning down the stretch. Counsell told reporters he expects the 23-year-old infielder to rejoin the club on Tuesday when they open a three-game set at Citi Field against the New York Mets.