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Milwaukee Brewers: The Return and Rise of Travis Shaw

By Harrison Carter

Apr 1, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw (21) walks in a base runner second baseman Kolten Wong (16) in the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw (21) walks in a base runner second baseman Kolten Wong (16) in the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports /
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Travis Shaw was a major disappointment for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019. Coming off two great years in 2017 and 2018, Shaw had the worst season of his career in 2019, slashing .157/.281/.270 with only seven home runs.

Shaw seemed to have lost confidence and was sent down to Triple-A. He performed well there but could not sustain that success when he got called back up. The Brewers decided not to offer Shaw a contract after the 2019 season. Shaw then signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and performed better in 2020 than 2019, but still not great compared to his previous seasons.

Needing to fill a hole at third base, the Milwaukee Brewers decided it would be a good time to bring back Shaw. They signed him to a minor league contract and later added him to the 40-man roster. He has performed very well for the Brewers in 2021, looking like the Travis Shaw of old. So what’s gone right for Shaw, and what is making him so valuable to the Brewers now?

Better Plate Discipline

Shaw appears to be seeing the ball much better than he has the past two years. He has swung and missed much less than the past couple of years. In 2019 and 2020, Shaw had a whiff percentage of 29.8 and 29.1. So far this year, Shaw has dramatically cut that number down to 14.1%. That is in the 91st percentile of all hitters this year, according to Baseball Savant.

Shaw is also doing a much better job of putting the bat on the ball when he chases pitches out of the strike zone. As a result, he is having better at bats and works the pitcher’s pitch count more. Last year, Shaw made contact with 58.4% of the pitches he swung at, which were out of the strike zone. This year, that number is up to 75%. Whether it is due to a better approach or improved confidence, Shaw looks more locked in at the plate than he has the last couple of years.

Although it is early in the season, Shaw has been everything the Brewers have wanted thus far with his bat; his numbers reflect this. What should have Brewers fans excited is that Shaw has not hit the ball nearly as hard as he normally has in his career, even during the years he was struggling. This means that if Shaw can continue to put the bat on the ball and his exit velocity improves to even his career average, Shaw’s numbers will only improve.

Defensive Prowess

What is often forgotten about Shaw is his ability to manage the hot corner. Shaw has always been a sound defender, but thus far, he has been an elite defensive third baseman. According to FanGraphs, with 14 plays made, Shaw is currently tied for second out of all third basemen with two Defensive Runs Saved (DRS).

DRS is a metric, that as Fangraphs puts it, “rates individual players as above or below average on defense,” with 0 being average. At this point in the season, Shaw is one of 12 third basemen to have a positive DRS. For example, with 10 plays made, Kris Bryant of the Cubs currently has a -4 DRS. Shaw has shown on numerous occasions his ability to be a very solid defender.

With a solid bat and glove so far in 2021, the “Mayor of Ding Dong City” is having quite the re-election year with the Milwaukee Brewers. If Shaw can continue to see the ball well, improve his exit velocity, and effectively manage third base, the Brewers’ chances to win the NL Central increase significantly.

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