MESA, Ariz. — The maturation of Pete Crow-Armstrong was one of the more intriguing plotlines of the 2024 Chicago Cubs.
The rookie center fielder quickly showed everyone he was a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder, but some wondered whether his offense would ever come around with a .196 average and three home runs over 113 games through Aug. 3.
But manager Craig Counsell kept writing his name in the lineup, and Crow-Armstrong eventually figured things out. He batted .286 with an .801 OPS over his final 49 games, with seven home runs, including an inside-the-park job in Miami. By the end of the year, “PCA” became a fan favorite and a huge part of the Cubs’ future.
Patience has been one of Counsell’s strongest attributes, and it paid off handsomely for players like Crow-Armstrong and catcher Miguel Amaya. Now we’ll find out whether rookie third baseman Matt Shaw will need the same kind of nurturing as he adjusts to major-league pitching without the benefit of a full spring training.
“I think we have to (show patience) with young players,” Counsell said Monday. “We’ve seen it with Matt already. The league is going to challenge you at times, and it’s going to feel like, ‘Oh, man…’ It’s just a different level, man. It’s the best league in the world, and there is an adjustment to it.
“I think Matt is going to be a really good hitter in the league, but we’ve got to acknowledge there’s going to be some tough times, too. But I also think he’s been a very quick learner wherever he’s been. My job, as much as I can, is to put him in a position to succeed, and a lot of that is just having confidence in him, and protecting him at times as well.”
Shaw went 1-for-9 with four strikeouts in the two-game Tokyo Series and will be in the domestic opening-day lineup Thursday against Arizona’s Zac Gallen. Getting his first major-league hit in the Game 2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers helped create a memory that will last a lifetime, and meant he didn’t have to wait through the end of spring training for his first milestone.
“A very cool ball, it says Tokyo Series on it,” Shaw said. “I feel like that’s going to be a great, unique memorabilia for me, beyond being the first hit (because of) being in Tokyo and everything that went along with it.”
But he’s going to have to hit consistently to stick. Shaw batted .227 in 22 at-bats in eight Cactus League games after an oblique injury delayed his start. He admitted to anxiety starting out in Japan, but said he has been helped by teammates including Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Crow-Armstrong. Early offensive struggles might be inevitable. It’s how you handle those hard times that make a difference.
“The one thing you can see from the guys that struggle is they don’t let it change who they are, they don’t internalize it,” Shaw said. “It doesn’t (linger) from one day to the next, and that helps you (overcome) it quicker. Obviously we have some amazing hitters on this team, and observing some of the guys, you watch how they let go and move on, pitch-to-pitch and at-bat to at-bat.
“We have a lot of great guys that are level-headed, so it’s good to watch them.”
Crow-Armstrong did exactly that in 2024, and came out stronger for it. He’s the Cubs leading hitter this spring with a .500 average while driving in 11 runs in 32 at-bats in Cactus League play. The patience Counsell showed in him allowed PCA to keep his confidence high during the slow start, which included a brief demotion to Triple-A Iowa.
“I definitely acknowledge that was big for me,” Crow-Armstrong said. “But the past counts, too. There was a whole lot of patience for everybody. He’s aware that I appreciate that. I needed it, for sure.”
A leadoff man by nature, Crow-Armstrong is not in any hurry to move up in the lineup. Counsell would not use him there in ’24, even after he showed signs of progress.
“Ultimately that’s where I want to end up,” Crow-Armstrong said. “But that’s (Ian Happ’s) job, and he does it exceptionally well. I don’t actively want to lead off. I want to keep doing what works, and I thought last year, switching Ian into the leadoff hole that second half changed things around for everybody.”
Crow-Armstrong said he doesn’t have any personal goals for 2025, just wants to win and play solid defense. He’s not just here for a haircut, as John Lackey liked to say.
“I think I’ll get to the point in my career where the offense is expected of me,” Crow-Armstrong said. “But until that’s a real thing, the goal is playing Gold Glove defense every day. It’s not about the Gold Glove at the end of the year. If I get there, I get there.”
Crow-Armstrong was able to mature without too much undue pressure on him and made up for his slow start with his stellar defense. Shaw might not be that fortunate, playing the hot corner after the Cubs failed to sign free-agent star Alex Bregman. There are more eyes on him this year with a team that’s favored to win the division, and now it’s really up to Shaw.
“You’ve got to figure it out,” Counsell said. “Nobody is going to hold your hand in this thing. … You’ve got to produce.”
Meanwhile, the Cubs enter the final day of spring training on Tuesday still debating their final roster decisions. Brad Keller, who started and struck out two in a scoreless inning in Monday’s 13-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves, seems like a lock for the bullpen. His velocity is up to 98 mph after some tinkering in the Cubs’ pitch lab, and he feels he’s improved his slider.
“Trying to be a sponge to everything they’re trying to teach me and carry it into the games,” Keller said.
Keller had a brief stint with the White Sox last year but was designated for assignment when Mike Clevinger was called up. After a 1 2/3 inning relief stint in his first outing, Keller started and threw 102 pitches four days later.
“Very interesting how everything fell over there,” Keller said, choosing his words cautiously. “I was stretched out to be a starter and I was fine throwing 100 pitches. But there were a lot of guys on guaranteed deals over there, so I was kind of the odd man out, kind of expendable in a sense.”
Now the Cubs hope Keller can be a key part of their revamped bullpen. The Cubs also will decide Tuesday whether to keep Rule 5 draft infielder Gage Workman or utilityman Vidal Bruján. Workman hit a two-run home run in the second inning Monday, his fourth of the spring, and has a team-leading 14 RBI.
Bruján is hitting .222, but would be the backup for Crow-Armstrong in center if he sticks. If not, Happ, who started in center Monday, would be Counsell’s best option.
After one final game Tuesday at Sloan Park, the Cubs travel 14 miles west for the re-opener Thursday at Chase Field.
It’s time to see what the 2025 Cubs are made of.
