Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:
1. Crow-Armstrong extension details incoming:
The Cubs and star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong are finalizing a contract extension, but the deal has yet to be made official and the terms of the agreement are not yet reported. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports the deal is worth “more than double”the $66MM guarantee Crow-Armstrong was offered last year. That suggests a guarantee north of $132MM, and Nightengale goes on to write that the length of the deal will be “at least six years and perhaps as long as nine years.” More concrete information on the contract terms could become available as soon as today.
2. Will McGonigle make the Tigers?
Opening Day is just around the corner, meaning a number of major roster decisions need to be made around the league. Perhaps the biggest undecided call is in Detroit, where top prospect Kevin McGonigle could make the team as the club’s starting shortstop but has not yet received that assurance, with manager A.J. Hinch telling reporters (including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press) that they have not yet made a decision. McGonigle is the consensus No. 2 prospect in the game and certainly seemed ready during Spring Training, when he slashed .250/.423/.500 with more walks (11) than strikeouts (8) in 52 trips to the plate. A poll of MLBTR readers conducted just three weeks ago was fairly split on the matter, with 54% of respondents suggesting they expected McGonigle to break camp with the Tigers. Will he manage to do so, or will he head back to Triple-A and leave the shortstop position in the hands of Zach McKinstry and Javier Baez?
3. Pena status update:
Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters yesterday that star shortstop Jeremy Pena was undergoing testing after his pregame workout and could wind up getting at-bats in today if those tests go well (via Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle). That would be a big step for Pena, who suffered a finger fracture during the run-up to the World Baseball Classic earlier this month. That injury seemed to make a return to action by Opening Day an unlikely outcome, but the Astros at no point ruled Pena out for the start of the season and still not have done so with their first game just two days away. If Pena takes at-bats today and they go well, he could yet avoid a trip to the injured list. If the All-Star does wind up shelved to start the year, that would open the door to both Brice Matthews and Zach Cole making the roster.
PCA about to make the IRS happy – possible headline.
Congrats to the kid and to the Cubbies for locking up a young star. What a concept.
Yes, I’m happy Hoyer got an extension done. PCA is an electric hitter when he’s firing on all cylinders. I’ll take his rough patches for his speed and defense.
That’s a lot of dough for PCA.
Fantastic for him, especially if the second half of 2025 is actually his performance level
From RCT yesterday:
Games 1-17: .197/.264/.258
Games 18-51: .331/.348/.750
Games 52-157: .226/.271/.424
To be able to do that and still put up a 6-win season shows just how good the glove and wheels are.
It will be interesting to see if he becomes a more consistent bat as he matures. You would expect so but he’ll probably be one of those bats who has some great years and others that look more like that last stretch. All while still earning his salary bringing the other pluses to the table.
What has been the Cubs biggest extension? I’m blanking but this I imagine will shatter it.
Ian Happ – 3/$61M
Carlos Zambrano ($91.5 M) — way back in 2007. Sosa and Aramis Ramirez had extensions in the $70-75 M range, too.
Looks like Pena’s finger is pointing in the right direction!
McGonigle looks like a keeper. Meadows did not earn a spot, and still has an option. Javy/Vierling and Wencel platoon in CF
Vierling/Keith mixing it up at 3B. McGonigle/Javy at SS. Greene and Torres are the only everyday players. Tork/Keith at 1B, Carpenter/Jones/Keith at DH. Wencel/Vierling/Carpenter in RF. Everybody plays everywhere with McKinstry filling in 4-5 days a week. Hinch doesn’t like a set lineup.
It better be at least 150 Million dollars over 8 years. Rumors are circulating that it’s between 6-9 years
???
Why had it better be? If PCA and the Cubs agree, they will be happy, so why wouldn’t you?
Where in my comment did I say I wasn’t happy about this. I’m just said if the reports are true and it’s more than double the offer of 66mil from last year it’ll be well worth it.
PCA extension feels a little premature. They see him as a “face of the franchise” type who will sell tickets. It’s not my money, so I don’t really care
Premature extenduation?
If you didn’t care, you could not have made the effort to comment.
As far as it being premature, the Cubs waited a year and it cost them at least $66 million. He is coming off a 6.0 WAR season. Superstar numbers. There are only a dozen position players that do that in any given season. Another season of 5.0-6.0 WAR in 2026, something that is not just possible it is probable unless he is injured, and they would have seen that number go up even more.
Hey Alan53….if you “don’t…care” don’t post.
I really don’t think the Cubs need a “face of the franschise” to sell tickets. Didn’t need to with Rizzo and Bryant. The draw at home and on the road. Perhaps a few cities that they go to every other year that a kid would want to see PCA, but not necessary to sell tickets.
Agree, perhaps premature BUT the CBA ends at season close and there remains the POSSIBILITY of a couple things.
1. A shutdown of a season and there will be no negotiation for oh, maybe a year.
2. Even more threatening, as part of the negotiation of CBA the players get free agency after four or five years instead of six. Right now, PCA isn’t a free agent until after the 2030 season. What if that changes to 28 or 29? And….27 disappears….and he’s a free agent after one more playable year after this one.
What a hoot, Tiger 26 man might not be known before what cable channel the game will be on Thursday ! Both are racing to the wire, and we’ll all just wait and see. McGonigle looks exciting at the plate, and he could very well be the spark the team could use to start the season. I think the team needs him. GO TIGERS !
Congrats to PCA. Life altering money for generations of his family.
I think it is possible we see Pena in the game tonight perhaps. Whether plays SS not sure. But he will be in lineup on Thursday afternoon depending on the tests.
Otherwise I do not think Cole makes the team. He was not so hot this Spring. Matthews showed more promise. Will have to see how Astros do things if Pena does start on Thursday.