Cubs Make Pete Crow-Armstrong Decision After 24 Games

That production has not carried over into the start of 2026. Through 24 games, the 24-year-old is slashing .247/.300/.333 with a .633 OPS, below his start around this time last year, when he was slashing .275/.315/.525 with an .840 OPS through 31 games. 

The struggles are not entirely new for him either, as following his All-Star first half of 2025, he hit just .216 with six home runs while striking out 63 times. Those trends have now followed him into the new year. A day off against a tough lefty gives Crow-Armstrong a chance to reset.

Philadelphia is sending left-hander Cristopher Sanchez to the mound Thursday, a difficult matchup for the left-handed hitting Crow-Armstrong. Shaw, a right-handed hitter, has outperformed Crow-Armstrong with a .281 batting average and an .785 OPS. 

The tradeoff in centerfield is real but manageable. Shaw ranks in the 84th percentile defensively this season with two OAA, compared to Crow-Armstrong in the 100th percentile with six OAA, according to Baseball Savant. While Shaw’s numbers might be below the elite defensive level of his teammate, the Cubs are replacing one of baseball's best outfielders with a very capable one.

Before Thursday’s matchup against the Phillies, the Cubs are in the middle of a very competitive National League Central, where they sit at second place with a 15-9 record, just half a game behind the Cincinnati Reds. One day off will not define his season, but when he returns to the lineup, the team will need to see their star center fielder produce to help carry them to another postseason in October.