The Chicago Cubs have a major decision on their hands.

With Alex Bregman spurning them and instead choosing to sign with the Boston Red Sox, the decision regarding who will play third base is at least a little bit easier, but it’s remains a decision.

Before the Cubs lost out on Bregman, they were also linked to veteran infielder Justin Turner as a possible short-term stop-gap entering his age 40 season.

At first glance, bringing in someone like Turner certainly won’t light the fan base on fire. But the 16-year veteran is still producing on the offensive side of the ball after slashing .259/.354/.383 in 2024, good for an OPS of .737 during stints with both the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners.

The prior season with the Red Sox was one of the more productive in his career, blasting 23 home runs and a career-high 96 RBI. Infield versatility also makes Turner intriguing with the ability to play first, second, and third base.

When considering turning in this direction, the real thing to consider is how ready Chicago believes top prospect Matt Shaw will be. As things currently stand, Shaw is likely slated to be the team’s Opening Day third baseman, really whether he’s truly ready or not.

His massive numbers at both the Double-A and Triple-A level in 2024 certainly point to him being ready to take on big league pitching. But the Cubs must weigh whether Shaw could benefit from platooning with a veteran who has been playing Major League Baseball for more than 15 years.

At the age of 40, Turner is unlikely to even be capable of being an everyday player let alone playing at an elite level. With that being said, there’s virtually no risk to bringing him in on an affordable one-year deal and letting things simply play out from there.

Jed Hoyer has a decision to make, and while he has stated openly Shaw will not be given the job unless he earns it, time is starting to run out on bringing in another potential free agent.

Leaving the job for Shaw to take in spring training while Turner still remains available is likely the best way to go about things here, but if the young rookie doesn’t look quite as primed to make an immediate impact for the Cubs as the team may have initially thought, there’s no shame in bringing him in some help.