Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong Receives Physical and Mental Break Due to Poor Performance

Pete Crow-Armstrong Gets Rest to Recharge

Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong received his second consecutive day off on Wednesday. Manager Craig Counsell explained that this decision seeks to provide “physical and mental” respite to the player, who has faced challenges in the second half of the season. Crow-Armstrong, 23, did not participate in the team’s 5-1 loss to the Braves, after having entered as a substitute to play defense at the end of Tuesday’s game. The Cubs had a day off on Thursday, which gave Crow-Armstrong three full days without playing.

We’re giving him a real break. So he can recover physically and mentally, and then, entering the last 3 and a half weeks of the season, we hope he’ll be a little fresher.

Craig Counsell

After the All-Star break, Crow-Armstrong has had a batting average of .212 with an OPS of .624. His performance in the last month has been even more complicated, with an average of .163, only five extra-base hits and five walks, compared to 29 strikeouts since August 1st. The manager commented that they considered giving Pete a rest during the team’s recent trip. The need for this rest became more evident as the trip progressed. The Cubs’ final six games of their nine-game road trip were played in spacious ballparks in San Francisco and Denver, where Crow-Armstrong covered a lot of ground in the outfield. He went 6-35 during the trip before taking a break on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Let’s hope this is a reset for Pete.

Craig Counsell

Willi Castro, a multi-position player, filled in for Crow-Armstrong in center field against the Braves on Wednesday. Seiya Suzuki, the usual designated hitter, played in right field in place of Kyle Tucker, who left Tuesday’s game due to a left calf strain. The team will provide an update on Tucker’s status before Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals.