With the clock ticking, Cubs-PCA to reopen contract negotiations

During Jed Hoyer’s end-of-year press conference, he emphasized that exploring contract extensions would be a key priority this offseason. With a potential shift in baseball’s financial landscape looming as the current CBA nears its 2026 expiration, locking in key players ahead of those changes makes strategic sense.

Additionally, Crow-Armstrong is on track to qualify for an extra year of arbitration as a Super Two player. If he builds on his strong 2025 performance, he could command a substantial salary through arbitration, making it potentially wise for Chicago to lock him into a long-term deal now.

However, the key questions remain: how much and for how long? On Marquee Sports Network, Bruce Levine referenced Corbin Carroll’s eight-year, $111 million extension and Ronald Acuña Jr.’s eight-year, $100 million deal as potential benchmarks. Still, it’s reasonable to believe Crow-Armstrong could surpass those figures if an agreement is reached this winter.

In the end, the Cubs’ approach to a potential extension with Crow-Armstrong could signal how the organization plans to balance its financial future with its young core. Securing a long-term deal would not only provide cost certainty ahead of a shifting economic landscape but also reinforce Chicago’s commitment to building around their current talent. As negotiations loom, the coming months could prove pivotal in shaping both Crow-Armstrong’s future, and the franchise’s direction for years to come.