Chicago Cubs hoping for a PCA “reset” as they tiptoe to playoffs

The Chicago Cubs are playoff-bound. Well, to be precise, the odds-making experts give them over a 99% chance of making the postseason.

The team is acting accordingly, erring on the side of caution when it comes to their top playoff assets– that includes rising star/slumping star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

On most teams, it would be a no-brainer to bench a guy hitting .160 in a crucial late-season month, with a MLB-worst OPS and wRC+ among qualified hitters. When it comes to PCA, though, the issue becomes more complex as his value to the Cubs comes in his glove and speed, almost as much as with his bat.

PCA pushed into a “reset”

The struggling 23-year-old had been given two full days off prior to Thursday’s off day, giving him a total of three rest days to get his mind and body back into gear. This “reset” is similar to the one given to a slumping Kyle Tucker, near the end of August, after almost two months of struggles at the plate. In the case of Tucker, the pull-back seemed to work as he has batted .400 since his mental/physical reset.

Kevin Alcantara was brought up from Triple-A to provide some support in center and utility man Willi Castro can also step in to cover the position, as he did in Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field.

The objective is to get the young talent’s head back into the game and to allow him some physical rest after playing nearly every inning at the taxing outfield position for the first 5+ months of the season.

“A real break”

“We’re just given a chance with the off day here to give him a real break,” manager Craig Counsell told media before Wednesday’s game. “So just to get him a physical and mental break and then go into the last, essentially, 3 1/2 weeks of the season, hopefully a little bit refreshed…

“I think Pete wanted to play. I thought it was the best idea to — I looked at this frankly early in the [last] road trip. ‘Where could we get Pete a break?’ As the road trip went on, it became obvious to me that we should use this opportunity to give him a little break.

“Pete’s been out there a whole bunch. It’s because of his defense, he’s so valuable on defense, no matter what’s going on at the plate. So for that reason, he’s had very few off days.”

Chicago Cubs in full prep mode for playoffs

The move corresponds with Counsell’s decision to sit Tucker after concerns over a tight calf muscle in Tuesday’s game and the unpopular decision to pull rookie Cade Horton from Wednesday’s game in the fifth inning, after throwing 75 pitches, despite working on a no-hitter. Prior to all of that, Counsell and company made the cautionary move to place pitcher Jameson Taillon on the IL with a groin strain that Taillon, himself, says he might’ve been able to work through.

All of this has been done with the goal of fielding the best and healthiest possible team in the playoffs.

“None of it’s black and white,” Counsell told reporters. “I think you do what’s best for the player first. Always, always do what’s best for the player. And then you have other considerations. You learn lessons in doing this…The benefit outweighs it sometimes as much as you want your best players out there. There’s many examples that I’ve learned from the past. You do what’s right for the player, and you’re not making a mistake.”

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-pete-crow-armstrong-reset?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicago-cubs-pete-crow-armstrong-reset