{"id":160714,"date":"2026-03-07T07:45:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T07:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=160714"},"modified":"2026-03-07T07:45:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T07:45:04","slug":"%f0%9f%94%a5-shocking-turn-of-events-the-chicago-cubs-could-be-forced-to-lose-their-32-home-run-slugger-in-free-agency-all-because-of-the-rising-star-pete-crow-armstrong-with-armstrongs-em","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=160714","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd25 SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS: The Chicago Cubs could be forced to lose their 32-home run slugger in free agency, all because of the rising star Pete Crow-Armstrong. With Armstrong\u2019s emergence, the Cubs might not be able to retain their power hitter, signaling a potential shift in their roster strategy."},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"86\">\ud83d\udea8 CUBS FACING TOUGH DECISION: WILL THEY LOSE A 32-HOME RUN SLUGGER IN FREE AGENCY? \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"86\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/CTC-Z-CUBS-REDS_43952e.jpg?w=1600&amp;resize=1600,900\" alt=\"Chicago Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong hits 2 home runs in 13-6 win\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"88\" data-end=\"408\">Chicago, IL \u2013 The Chicago Cubs are entering a pivotal offseason, and the team faces a major dilemma regarding their starting outfielders. As the season progresses, the Cubs could potentially lose one of their most powerful hitters to free agency, with the future of both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki hanging in the balance.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"13o5i08\" data-start=\"410\" data-end=\"444\"><strong data-start=\"414\" data-end=\"444\">The Cubs\u2019 Outfield Dilemma<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"446\" data-end=\"874\">Both Happ and Suzuki will hit free agency at the end of this season, and while the Cubs have the financial means to re-sign one of them, it seems unlikely that they\u2019ll be able to keep both. The Cubs&#8217; outfield has been one of the bright spots for the team in recent years, but with the arrival of rising star Pete Crow-Armstrong and his potential for a long-term extension, the Cubs are expected to face some difficult decisions.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"876\" data-end=\"1248\">Pete Crow-Armstrong\u2019s potential extension at a high average annual value could play a significant role in the Cubs&#8217; decision-making process, especially given the team&#8217;s limited cap flexibility. If the Cubs lock up Crow-Armstrong, who could be the centerpiece of the future, the team will likely prioritize re-signing one of the veterans\u2014either Happ or Suzuki\u2014but not both.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"18mjuc2\" data-start=\"1250\" data-end=\"1308\"><strong data-start=\"1254\" data-end=\"1308\">Ian Happ vs. Seiya Suzuki: Who Stays and Who Goes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1310\" data-end=\"1660\">According to FanSided\u2019s Zachary Rotman, the Cubs are likely to prioritize Happ over Suzuki. Happ, who has been with the team since making his Major League debut in 2017, is the longest-tenured player on the Cubs roster. A four-time Gold Glove Award winner in left field, Happ is a well-rounded player who provides both offensive and defensive value.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1662\" data-end=\"2119\">In contrast, Suzuki, who made waves in 2025 by hitting 32 home runs, has proven to be a prolific slugger, outperforming Happ in SLG% and OPS. However, Suzuki is primarily limited to designated hitter duties, a role that may become more pronounced as he approaches his mid-thirties. While Suzuki\u2019s power numbers are enticing, Happ\u2019s versatility as a switch-hitter and superior defense in the outfield makes him the more valuable long-term asset for the Cubs.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2121\" data-end=\"2470\">Rotman argues that, while Suzuki may be the more dynamic offensive player, Happ\u2019s overall value\u2014particularly his defense and ability to play in multiple spots\u2014makes him the more logical option for the Cubs moving forward. This is especially true if Crow-Armstrong\u2019s extension puts further financial strain on the team\u2019s ability to keep both players.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2121\" data-end=\"2470\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/en\/the_sporting_news_articles_584\/970ad25d9290289d302d272569624574\" alt=\"Cubs predicted to part ways with $35 million two-time Gold Glove infielder  as consequence of possible Pete Crow-Armstrong extension - Yahoo Sports\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"14lm3ez\" data-start=\"2472\" data-end=\"2521\"><strong data-start=\"2476\" data-end=\"2521\">The Cubs\u2019 Future with Pete Crow-Armstrong<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2523\" data-end=\"2888\">As the Cubs continue to navigate this offseason, the emergence of Pete Crow-Armstrong is sure to play a significant role in their decision-making. Crow-Armstrong has been one of the top prospects in baseball, and his eventual promotion to the big leagues and subsequent extension could give the Cubs the flexibility to move on from one of their veteran outfielders.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2890\" data-end=\"3081\">For now, Cubs fans are left to wonder: Will the team be able to keep both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, or will the financial reality of a Crow-Armstrong extension push one of them out the door?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83d\udea8 CUBS FACING TOUGH DECISION: WILL THEY LOSE A 32-HOME RUN SLUGGER IN FREE AGENCY? \ud83d\udc47 Chicago, IL \u2013 The Chicago Cubs are entering a pivotal offseason,&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":160716,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-160714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>\ud83d\udd25 SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS: The Chicago Cubs could be forced to lose their 32-home run slugger in free agency, all because of the rising star Pete Crow-Armstrong. With Armstrong\u2019s emergence, the Cubs might not be able to retain their power hitter, signaling a potential shift in their roster strategy. - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=160714\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udd25 SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS: The Chicago Cubs could be forced to lose their 32-home run slugger in free agency, all because of the rising star Pete Crow-Armstrong. With Armstrong\u2019s emergence, the Cubs might not be able to retain their power hitter, signaling a potential shift in their roster strategy. - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8 CUBS FACING TOUGH DECISION: WILL THEY LOSE A 32-HOME RUN SLUGGER IN FREE AGENCY? \ud83d\udc47 Chicago, IL \u2013 The Chicago Cubs are entering a pivotal offseason,...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=160714\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-07T07:45:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/avtnew-76.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=160714\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=160714\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udd25 SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS: The Chicago Cubs could be forced to lose their 32-home run slugger in free agency, all because of the rising star Pete Crow-Armstrong. 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