Spring training is a common time for extensions but it doesn’t seem like there’s too much smoke between the Cubs and Pete Crow-Armstrong. The outfielder was asked about the topic on Foul Territory this week but downplayed the urgency. “There will be talks, there have been talks,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re not really in any rush to do anything. I’d like to keep it that way just ’cause I’m going to go out and play regardless… There’s bigger fish to fry right now than getting me paid.”
The Cubs and Crow-Armstrong had some extension talks around this time last year. At that time, he had almost one full season under his belt. In 2024, he showed off his speed-and-defense floor but with subpar offense.
Since then, he has raised his stock, as he got his offense above league average in 2025. He still didn’t draw many walks but he did hit 31 home runs, helping him put up a .247/.287/.481 line and 109 wRC+. That came in inconsistent fashion, however. He hit 25 of those homers in the first half, with 17.6% of his fly balls clearing the fence. The league average home run to fly ball rate was 11.9% last year. In the second half, that rate regressed to 7.8% for Crow-Armstrong, leading to just six long balls after the break.
The overall season was strong but it’s fair to be a bit skeptical about his offense going forward. His 4.5% walk rate last year was higher than just four other qualified hitters in the league, so he needs to provide value when he puts the bat on the ball. That happened in 2025 but with a season-long 14.2% home run to fly ball ratio that was a few ticks above par. Statcast had his hard hit rate and average exit velocity in the 42nd and 43rd percentile, respectively, so the extra home runs may have been backed by a bit of luck.
What he can provide at the plate going forward is up in the air but the speed and defense are legit. He swiped 35 bags last year and got excellent grades in center. He has a tremendous floor but the ceiling is more of a question. Whether he and the Cubs can line up on a price point for an extension remains to be seen. His service time count is at one year and 170 days, just two days shy of the two-year mark. That means he can be controlled for five more seasons but is essentially a lock to be a Super Two guy after this year, giving him four arbitration seasons instead of the standard three.
Elsewhere on the roster, catcher Miguel Amaya has been doing some first base drills, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Amaya has a bit of first base experience from the minors but not much lately. In the past four seasons, his time at the position was just two games at Double-A in 2023.
There’s a logic to seeing if Amaya is viable at first, as it would expand the versatility of the roster. It seems likely that the Cubs will carry three catchers, with Carson Kelly and Moisés Ballesteros also there alongside Amaya. The only one of the three who can be optioned is Ballesteros, but he hit so well last year that the Cubs seemingly want him to get into the designated hitter spot with some regularity.
That could leave Amaya somewhat squeezed behind the plate but there’s a path to some at-bats at first. The Cubs have Michael Busch slated to be the regular first baseman but he’s a lefty who hasn’t hit southpaws yet. The Cubs were planning on having Tyler Austin serve as Busch’s right-handed platoon partner but Austin recently had knee surgery and is going to miss months.
Amaya hits from the right side but has reverse splits in his career thus far. He has a .254/.321/.416 line against righties but has hit just .193/.256/.298 against lefties. That makes him a less than ideal platoon partner for Busch but his ability to play the position could still help the Cubs. Theoretically, they could have someone like outfielder Chas McCormick hit for Busch late in games, then have someone else come in to play first base. Even putting the platoon issues aside, they don’t have a clear backup first baseman while Austin is out.
Levine also relays that left-hander Ryan Rolison has caught the attention of manager Craig Counsell early in camp. Rolison was just claimed off waivers from the White Sox last month. He has a 7.02 earned run average in his big league career so far, which is obviously not impressive. But he’s coming off a good season in the minors with the Rockies. The former first round pick logged 29 2/3 innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League last year with a 3.34 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and 48.8% ground ball rate.
Even if he has a good spring, it’ll be hard for him to earn an Opening Day spot. As MLBTR’s Steve Adams just explored in a piece for Front Office subscribers, the Cubs are one of the teams in the majors with the fewest players likely to be optioned. In the bullpen, they project to open the season with guys who can’t be optioned in six of the eight spots. Of the other two, one of them is closer Daniel Palencia, who isn’t getting sent down. The other is Javier Assad, who could end up in Iowa but the Cubs may be reluctant to send him down after he’s been solid for the past few years.
Rolison still has one option remaining, so he’ll probably start the season in Triple-A. Even if that’s the case, injuries are inevitable over a long season, so perhaps Rolison will be well positioned to get the call when the time comes. Caleb Thielbar and Hoby Milner project as the bullpen lefties to open the season. Rolison, Luke Little and Riley Martin are optionable lefties on the 40-man.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Gorski, Imagn Images
Not getting the “smoke” analogy.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Fire in that case would be a strong indication that an extension will happen.
I guess. But “smoke between” makes no sense if that’s the analogy.
As in MLBTRs interpretation of any sourcing out of either the Cub or PCA camps. If there was “fire” from an extension likely, it would likely mean more rumors and speculation appearing “within” that circle.
I prefer my mixed metaphors shaken, not stirred.
I feel crosswinds were implied by the subtext.
Well somebody has to take the bull by the horns and run with it.
One good turn deserves a wrench.
There is a season turn, turn, turn
I can’t imagine they were smoking a blunt together
Just remember, Wherever you go, There you are
I’ve been there, and it’s similar to here
PCA seems like a good player with no ceiling to his potential, so I get why he’s been hesitant to sign an extension.
That first potential extension would’ve been ultra modest.
That second possible extension would’ve been a bit heftier but still pretty cost effective.
If he improves again this year it’ll add so much more leverage to his negotiating power.
So I get why there’s no rush on his end.
Besides the mendoza level OBP and high strike out rate
At least hes got his wild hair thingie going on. The hissy fit tantrums dont help. He could be a season and a half removed from becoming another Kelenic.
Mendoza…Kelenic…🥱…
I’ll tell you who’s impressed me so far. Jefferson Rojas. He struggled at first at every level he advanced to. He looks like he’s finally filled out and become more than the skinny kid he looked like since he got here. I wonder who Hoyer will trade him for because he hates prospects who look good.
It takes some pretty Cubbie Blue colored glasses (and not watching the second half of last season) to not see a ceiling for PCA.
Hes exciting for sho but should slow his roll some. Taking on the entire Dodger Fandom after a nice first half, followed by a sub .300 OPS in the playoffs. Good luck with all that. Maybe reconstruct some value first
@chandlerbing: Good points, but I’d avoid the use of the word “robust,” which has become a bit of an overused cliche and whose meaning is sort of vague. Try to find a synonym or near-synonym that means more exactly what you’re trying to say.
He could have said “hardy”, but maybe consider you sound like a jerk telling other people to change their word usage. Who are you to suggest that?
@Nachos: Who I am is a professional writer and editor who means only well. We are better communicators and it’s a healthier marketplace of ideas if we avoid clichés, especially cloying, lazy ones like “robust.”
I am not criticizing chandlerbing as a person; I am critiquing him as a writer. I think he should be grateful for that, not offended. Nor should you be offended for him.
But anyone is free to like me or not, of course. As Harry once said on the air: “Well, you hope that people like you. But people who don’t like you, they have the right to their opinion too. So you just gotta be yourself.”
Hearty
This is an MLB rumor thread, not a writing workshop. We are here to discuss baseball, not debate word choice.
I am an unprofessional writer. I like the adjective and feel like the word “robust” isn’t cliche in anyway. It is a descriptive identifier that assigns the characteristics of strength as well as any alternative I can think of off the top of my head.
He could of used gargantuan but that would be somewhat pretentious and exaggerated.
Alan53
but I’d avoid the use of the word “robust,” which has become a bit of an overused cliche and whose meaning is sort of vague. Try to find a synonym or near-synonym that means more exactly what you’re trying to say.
================
“strong and healthy; vigorous”
I would suggest “robust” is the perfect word. It is as 100% accurate as a relative term will be, and hardly chandler’s fault if someone else has over-used it.
Extend him for life. 25 years 1 billion dollars. How ever many years are left when he retires is tbe years deferred.
Just an FYI his last name is Crow-Armstrong not Crow. This was on Facebook so a lot of armchair GMs. They said it was gay(e) to hyphen a last name. Definitely of if the dumbest comments I’ve seen.
I thought everyone referred to him as PCA at this point.
I hope the guy builds some pitch recognition/ plate discipline at this point.
It kinda bums me out (low level) that stud defensive centerfielders who can hit seem like an endangered species (the guys that could went into other sports maybe).
About 99% he’s referred to as PCA, yes. When he makes a great catch. I’ll say every time PCA=Phenomenal Catching Abilities on other social media platforms.
But we get Cam Smith and won the Tucker trade hooray!
The Astros might win the fight, but they certainly lost the first round.
The Cubs just used $31M of their payroll capacity to sign a modest upgrade over Paredes at 3rd.
Shaw, Swanson, Hoerner and Busch around the IF would have been good.
Cam Smith isn’t an all-star yet, Paredes is, but Tucker gave them a good shot to win last season. The trade in that regard wasn’t a complete failure. The Astros certainly got the best of it.
Bregman is a good player, is a lock to hit, but it squeezes Shaw out of the lineup and he had potential to be a good defensive 3B.
It now comes down to Hoerner or Shaw at 2B. Cubs payroll is clear in ’27, they have the money to pay Hoerner, but if they do, Shaw is moving to RF.
I think they have a few options.
-Pay Hoerner, let Seiya Suzuki walk in ’27, Shaw in RF.
-Pay Hoerner, Pay Suzuki, Trade Shaw.
-Let Hoerner walk, Shaw at 2nd, Alcanatara in RF.
Happ is up, Suzuki is up, Hoerner is up and PCA wants paid.
It was a tough spot until the Marlins let them off the hook trading Eddy Cabrera for Owen Cassie, Marlins got supremely hosed on that trade and the Cubs landed an ace.
Cubs will save a fortune with Cabrera at the top of the rotation for three seasons.
’27 Rotation Outlook:
Cabrera (ARB2)
Horton (PREARB)
Steele (ARB3)
Boyd (15M mutual option)
Wiggins (PREARB)
Brown (PREARB)
They can extend Boyd easily. Boyd doesn’t want to leave after finding his best game, it will be in his age ’36 season in ’27. Steele also likely to take a fair deal, he will be in his age 33 season when he hits FA in ’28.
Cubs have a nice roster, payroll is tidy, they have leverage in extension talks due to their depth and they have a few interesting prospects in Long, Triantos and Ramirez as trade chips.
I have to say that Jed Hoyer has done a good job and has positioned them well without spending over the top and for a team that has the money to do so, it is rather impressive.
Cubs pitch lab saving careers and millions of dollars love it
Cubs got there first start from Edward Cabrera today. 3 K’s all whiffs, throwing all of his pitches for strikes. 98 mph sinker, 98 mph four seamer, 94 mph change up, 88 mph slider, 84 mph curveball.
The HR to fly ball rate comment is so cringe considering the way he hit in the 2nd half. I mean we can look up where those fly balls went if we want to go that route. It’s like looking at a dudes BABIP when his exit velo was down 10 MPH. If everyone is gonna use “advanced” analysis we all need to employ common sense. It’s constant. Almost everyone nowadays thinks they are so smart because they learn some stats but common sense is as rare as ever.
He hit his share of water coolers in the second half tho. Solid contact with excellent launch angle and exit velo
But what type of splash patterns?
Common sense would mean supporting your criticism with facts. His exit velo was actually higher in August and September while his barrel rate dropped. He also pulled the ball more during those months.
thedynastydugout.com/p/pete-crow-armstrong-2025-br…
@bandlerching…Busch was developed by the Cubs eh? Jackson Ferris says hi!
It took me so long that you whiched the Ch and B 😂😂
Personally because if his name is I would’ve said Miss Chanandler Bong 😂
Player formerly known as Mousecop….That’s a different realm of comedy, the studdering nerdy stoner….I simply made a spoonerism!
Mousecop was my cousin’s uncle’s brother in law’s baby cousin sister Tracy
You nailed it though. I’m a stoner and proud of it.
I meant no negative connotation with the term, if certain leaders imbibed in herbal remedies, we’d have fewer wars and fewer east v west global antipathy.
Speaking E v W….Bizmo Funyuns is my all time favorite K&P football name
No worries I never considered it as being negative was also Jackmerius Tacktheritrix or Ladennifer Jadaniston but also Hingle McCringleberry
Sorry I wasn’t able to edit there’s supposed to be a period between negative. And also add one of my favorites is* not was
Zhyir Hope too
PCA has MVP potential or at the very least, a continual All-Star. Easily the face of the franchise.
Unfortunately because Ohtani is MLB’s poster boy. He should play 2/3 of the season half a 1/3 of his homeruns and RBI and he’ll still win the MVP.
PCA needs to have at more than half a season of excellent offense to be considered
Ohtani went 50/50 in ’24 and has posted three consecutive seasons of 1.000+ OPS. He pitched to a 1.90 FIP over 47.0 innings last season and is a good bet to win a Cy Young award if he posts a full season of starts.
It will be difficult to unseat Ohtani as reigning MVP.
Paul Blair/ Devon White types always bring value. It’s nice having a guy in center that good (Red Sox agree), but his pitch recognition and OBP is terribly poor. If the Cubs can lock him in for 7/85 or something, then great. Without improving with the wood though, he’ll be out of MLB by the age of 29.
Corey Patterson says hi