The Chicago Cubs were able to win on Wednesday, but they scored just four runs in the victory. They’ve scored four runs or fewer eight times in their 11 games since the trade deadline, and have struggled offensively for about a month now. With the Cubs in dire need of a spark, the team not only recalled top prospect Owen Caissie, but opted to bench both Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki, two struggling hitters.

Not only is Caissie starting in his MLB debut, but he’s batting fifth. Craig Counsell is displaying a ton of confidence in the rookie, and for good reason.

This is an opportunity for the Cubs to not only give Caissie, a deserving prospect, a hard look at the MLB level, but also give Counsell the opportunity to give Crow-Armstrong a much-needed rest in a pinch, as he is on Thursday.

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Cubs must give Pete Crow-Armstrong chance to reset

If the season ended at the All-Star break, Crow-Armstrong probably would’ve won the NL MVP award. Not only was he providing his usual Gold Glove-caliber defense and blazing speed on the base paths, but he was hitting far better than he ever had, particularly in the power department. Since the break, though, Crow-Armstrong is struggling as much as he ever has. The 23-year-old is slashing .205/.239/.398 with two home runs and 7 RBI in 22 games since the break, and he’s gone 3-for-41 (.073 batting average) with 15 strikeouts and only one extra-base hit (a double) in 11 games in August.

Crow-Armstrong had started all but two of the team’s games since the break, and he appeared in one of those games off the bench. The Cubs took several months to give him a rest in the first half, and had him begin the second half playing just about every single day.

This isn’t to say Crow-Armstrong shouldn’t take on any blame for his struggles at the plate, but playing every single day in a position as grueling as center field can be incredibly taxing, especially for a player like Crow-Armstrong who has never appeared in more than 123 games in a professional season (he’s already only six games away from tying that mark this season) and who uses his legs a ton.

There are concerns regarding his approach that must be addressed, but there’s reason to believe that if Counsell can find a way to give him a breather here and there, the Cubs would be able to get more out of him down the stretch and into October offensively. Having Crow-Armstrong perform at an MVP-caliber level would obviously drastically boost their World Series odds.

While it’s certainly eye-opening that Counsell benched him against a right-handed pitcher in Caissie’s debut, it’s important to note that Caissie’s arrival undoubtedly impacts a guy like Suzuki, who is also on the bench on Thursday, more than PCA.

Owen Caissie’s arrival impacts Seiya Suzuki far more than PCA

Crow-Armstrong’s offensive struggles have been evident and frustrating, but even during the times when he’s not producing at the plate, he can provide a ton of value because of his defense and his speed. Crow-Armstrong ranks in the 100th percentile in OAA and the 97th percentile in base-running run value, making him one of the most impactful defenders and runners in the sport. Given the fact that Crow-Armstrong is a Gold Glove-caliber defender at arguably the most important position in the game, he should, and presumably will be in the lineup just about every day even when he isn’t hitting.

As for Suzuki, well, he has to hit to be worth playing. His overall numbers are stellar, much like Crow-Armstrong’s, but he’s hitting .182 with a .596 OPS in 22 games since the All-Star break. As a primary DH, he only provides value when he’s hitting. Suzuki’s struggles open the door for Caissie to get some reps as the DH, and if he carries his hot hitting to the majors, Suzuki might lose most, if not all of his playing time, at least against right-handed pitching.

Due to Crow-Armstrong’s absurd glove and the lack of an acceptably alternative in center field, the Cubs will almost always find room for him in their lineup, even if he’s hitting eighth or ninth in a couple of weeks. Suzuki’s inability to play the field at even an adequate level makes him far easier to bench when he isn’t hitting, and there’s a good chance that Caissie’s arrival will cause Counsell to do just that, far more than Cubs fans are accustomed to.