Matt Shaw (hand) set for rehab assignment

Arias makes a ton of sense for Chicago as a short-term stopgap solution to help fill their infield while Dansby Swanson (oblique) is on the injured list for the next couple weeks. The 26-year-old provides the Cubs with an experienced and versatile infield option behind Nico Hoerner and Pedro Ramírez. He can be safely ignored in all fantasy formats, but still represents a quality depth addition at this stage of his career.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters that Swanson has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 oblique strain and they’re hoping that he’s able to return in roughly four weeks. The 32-year-old veteran has graded out as a top-10 fantasy option this season, hitting .216/.300/.404 with 78 runs scored, 18 homers, 66 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 458 plate appearances. It sounds like there’s a decent chance that he’s ready for the start of the postseason, if the Cubs make it that far. It’ll be Nico Hoerner taking over at shortstop with rookie Pedro Ramírez seeing the bulk of the playing time at second base.

Swanson left Sunday’s game with an oblique injury. Pedro Ramírez will likely become the Cubs’ primary second baseman while Swanson is out, with Nico Hoerner moving to shortstop. Kevin Alcántara could rejoin the team as a bench player until Matt Shaw is ready to come off the IL.

Swanson was hurt on a swing and a miss in the third inning. We’re just speculating, but it seems pretty likely that he’ll go on the IL, which would probably make Pedro Ramírez a true regular and worthy of a roster spot in mixed leagues for at least a couple of weeks.

Busch had been mired in a bit of a power outage lately, slashing just .253/.290/.316 with one homer, nine RBI and an 18/4 K/BB ratio over 100 plate appearances in his last 22 ballgames. He’ll get a day off to reset in this one with Pedro Ramirez filling in at first base and batting sixth against Cardinals’ right-hander Hunter Dobbins.

Shaw, on the IL since June 29 with a hand strain, has been hitting of a Trajekt machine. It doesn’t seem likely that he’ll have a particularly significant role after joining the Cubs. Pedro Ramírez has been a modest upgrade as an infield backup, and the Cubs acquired Tyrone Taylor at the deadline as an additional outfield option versus lefties.

It looks to just be a routine day off. Pedro Ramírez is batting sixth and playing second base in Hoerner’s absence.

It was only a pair of singles, but it’s interesting that the Cubs batted Ramírez in the two-hole with Seiya Suzuki out. Ramírez is hitting .350/.398/.500 in his last 30 games with one homer and four stolen bases, perhaps there’s a Maikel Garcia-type fantasy season in him if he gets enough playing time. This was his first career start anywhere higher than sixth in the order.

Peralta and Holmes are almost assuredly being dealt this week, and the Cubs are looking to add starting pitching. As Passan notes, the Cubs also have “plenty of bats available” that could interest the Mets, like Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez in the big leagues, or Owen Ayers and Jefferson Rojas in the minors. It remains to be seen if the teams can make anything work, but the pieces seem to be there.

Hoerner grabs a seat on the bench with red-hot rookie Pedro Ramírez taking a turn at the keystone after connecting for his first round-tripper since April 21 earlier this week. The 29-year-old speedster has been phenomenal since the All-Star break, hitting .417 (20-for-48) across 11 games during that span.