CINCINNATI — Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw left the team, a league source said, so he could attend Sunday’s memorial service for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was shot and killed almost two weeks ago.

Shaw traveled to Arizona for the event, according to multiple team and league sources briefed on his decision who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk freely about a sensitive matter. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance addressed the crowd at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, an NFL venue built for the Arizona Cardinals and big events.

“Matt Shaw was unavailable today,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. “He attended the funeral of a friend.”

Kirk, 31, was the founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative organization. He was assassinated on Sept. 10 during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University.

Kirk, who grew up in suburban Chicago, visited Wrigley Field this summer. Kirk posted a photo on his X account on Aug. 20, posing with Shaw and Cubs first baseman Michael Busch on the field. In the picture, Shaw is giving a thumbs-up.

The night of Kirk’s death, Shaw was scratched from Chicago’s starting lineup for unspecified personal reasons. Shaw later entered that game as a pinch hitter and finished a 3-2 road win over the Atlanta Braves at third base. Through the club’s media relations department, Shaw declined to address reporters after the game.

Shaw, 23, is a rookie who was selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Maryland. His absence Sunday was noticeable when the Cubs started Justin Turner at third base and did not use a pinch runner for Moisés Ballesteros in the ninth inning of a one-run game.

The Cubs have lost four consecutive games since clinching their spot in the National League playoffs, their longest losing streak this year. The club is still trying to secure home-field advantage for the wild-card round.

Monday is a scheduled day off for the club in Chicago. Counsell anticipates Shaw rejoining the team Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

(Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)