As of now it doesn’t appear to be a serious concern, but nevertheless it grabs your attention whenever a player is scratched from the starting lineup just a few minutes before first pitch. Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was originally scheduled to leadoff on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Cubs have taken the outfielder out of the lineup.
According to the team Crow-Armstrong is dealing with some tightness in his right hamstring. Cubs beat reporter Maddie Lee said it’s a precautionary move by the club.
Cubs scratch Pete Crow-Armstrong from the lineup with right hamstring tightness. They say it's a precautionary move.
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) March 3, 2025
Not going to panic here, but we saw last spring training that it doesn’t take very much for a hamstring to linger into the regular season. In 2024, Ian Happ dealt with a hamstring strain that slowed him down in early March, but he was able to recover in time to be ready for Opening Day. Happ struggled in April, and at one point missed a few games as the hamstring issue popped up in a game against the Miami Marlins. Fortunately Happ did not go on the injured list.
This time around the Cubs have two regular season games in the middle of March, so we’ll definitely monitor PCA’s status this week. The team will be traveling to Japan following their Cactus League game on March 11.
Crow-Armstrong has looked great so far in spring training, going 7-for-14 at the plate. He homered and doubled Saturday night against the Kansas City Royals.
The Cubs will not have starting second baseman Nico Hoerner in Japan as the infielder will continue his rehab from right flexor tendon surgery in Arizona. Hoerner is hopeful that he’ll be ready by March 27, on Opening Day for all 30 MLB teams. Meanwhile, top prospect Matt Shaw’s status for the games in Japan isn’t quite certain yet, but the third baseman did make his spring training debut Sunday.
