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Cohen went even further: “I don’t want to talk about any of the politics of it, but the thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency really strikes me as weird.”
Former player Todd Zeile piled on, calling the decision “unprecedented.”
“It’s unprecedented, at least from my experience as a player,” Zeile said.
Shaw’s Faith and Friendship with Kirk
Shaw made it clear that his decision wasn’t about politics—it was about faith.
“My connection with Charlie was through our faith,” Shaw told reporters. “That’s something that drives me every day. That’s the reason why I’m able to do what I do every day and that’s something I’m extremely thankful for.”
Shaw revealed that he first met Kirk when they lived in the same apartment complex in Arizona last offseason. The two bonded over shared Christian values. Kirk, a lifelong Cubs fan from the Chicago area, frequently sent Shaw encouraging notes after games.
When Shaw heard about Kirk’s assassination on September 10, he said he was “tearing up pretty good” and needed time away. He was scratched from the lineup that same day due to the emotional toll.
Cubs Back Their Rookie Despite Media Criticism
Shaw didn’t act alone. Before making his decision, he spoke with manager Craig Counsell, team president Jed Hoyer, and veteran teammates. They supported him fully.
“All the veteran players that I talked to and really the whole team having their support was really important to me,” Shaw explained.
Counsell later confirmed Shaw’s absence, explaining simply that the rookie was attending a funeral. The team even accepted the challenge of playing a man short since Kirk’s death didn’t technically qualify under MLB’s bereavement list rules.
Yet Cohen went out of his way to suggest that Shaw’s rookie status made the move “more or less egregious,” revealing the bias at play.
The Real Story: Media vs. Faith
This wasn’t just about baseball. It was a test of faith and loyalty—and Shaw passed.
While Shaw’s teammates and organization stood by him, the media chose to mock his decision. Cohen insisted he didn’t want to “talk politics,” but in reality, he turned a moment of Christian faith into an attack on character.
A 22-year-old rookie honored a friend who was murdered for his beliefs, and two announcers used national television to call him “weird.”
That says far more about the media than it does about Matt Shaw.
A Legacy of Faith
Charlie Kirk, just 31, was killed because he refused to surrender his conservative principles. Matt Shaw refused to surrender his own faith in the face of media ridicule.
“Whatever backlash comes is OK. I feel strong about my faith and that what was meant to be happened,” Shaw said confidently.
For millions of Americans who still value faith, friendship, and courage, Shaw made the right call. The real scandal here isn’t that a rookie missed a game—it’s that the media still cannot grasp that some things matter more than baseball.
