Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was out of the lineup for the second straight day Wednesday against the Braves.
On Tuesday, he entered the game on defense in the ninth inning but did not hit. And the Cubs are off Thursday, giving Crow-Armstrong almost three straight days of rest.
“We’re given the chance with the off day here to give him a real break,” manager Craig Counsell said, “and to just kind of give him a reset a little bit.”
Two weeks ago, Counsell used similar language to describe Kyle Tucker’s three games off amid a long slump. The “reset” worked for him. He has recorded a 1.189 OPS in 12 games since that break. But he exited the game Tuesday with a tight left calf.
Crow-Armstrong’s day off Wednesday is not injury-related, Counsell said.
“Just to get him a physical and mental break,” Counsell said. “And then go into the last, essentially, three and a half weeks of the season hopefully a little bit refreshed.”
Crow-Armstrong’s offensive production took a dive in August. He entered Wednesday with a .448 OPS since the beginning of last month.
Crow-Armstrong, who had an .868 OPS in the first four months of the season, has started all but five of the Cubs’ 139 games this season.
“I think Pete wanted to play,” Counsell said. “But I looked at this really, frankly, early in the road trip, thinking, where could we get Pete a break? And as the road trip went on, it became obvious to me that we should use this opportunity to get him a little break.”
Lineup scramble
The Cubs’ lineup looked a little different against Braves right-hander Bryce Elder.
Along with Crow-Armstrong, Tucker was also out. Counsell said after the Cubs’ 4-3 win Tuesday against the Braves that Tucker would get Wednesday off. He’s set to be reevaluated Friday.
With two left-handed hitters unavailable, the Cubs stacked their lineup with switch hitters. Carlos Santana was in the lineup for the first time since the Cubs signed him earlier this week. He served as the designated hitter. Willi Castro started in center field, and, as usual, Ian Happ was in left.
At the top of the order, left-handed-hitting Michael Busch slid down from his usual leadoff spot against right-handers to the No. 2 spot, which Tucker usually occupies. And second baseman Nico Hoerner, a right-handed hitter who generally leads off against lefties, took the No. 1 spot.
Left-handed-hitting Reese McGuire got the start behind the plate, batting ninth.
Notes
Right-handed starter Jameson Taillon (strained left groin) is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Iowa on Thursday.
• Veteran reliever Ryan Brasier is set to make his first appearance of a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday.
• Infielder Ben Cowles, whom the Cubs acquired last year as part of the trade that sent reliever Mark Leiter Jr. to the Yankees, was claimed off waivers by the White Sox. The Cubs designated Cowles for assignment Monday to clear room on the 40-man roster for Santana.