MESA, Ariz. — If Monday had been a regular-season game and not a spring exhibition, Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong would have been in the lineup.
The Cubs took the precautionary route, though, and scratched Crow-Armstrong because of right hamstring tightness before Monday’s Cactus League game. Crow-Armstrong felt the tightness during his outfield drill work in the morning but wasn’t worried about any lingering issues. He started Tuesday in center field at Sloan Park.
“It was nothing out of the ordinary,” Crow-Armstrong said Tuesday. “I tend to operate off of some natural tightness. I think that’s why I’m quick off the ground and everything so it wasn’t concerning. Just thought it was something to be aware of, and I have really good athletic trainers here that noticed, and they got me to make the mature decision.”
Manager Craig Counsell made the call to keep him out of Monday’s game, explaining to Crow-Armstrong that he wanted to see the player run in a controlled environment Tuesday morning to test his hamstring before putting him in a game. During the season Crow-Armstrong would’ve been in Monday’s lineup.
“Players, they want to be out there and the medical staff is there to provide information and protect them and help them and not to keep them off the field,” Counsell said. “It’s important to use the medical staff as a coach almost to your advantage, and it’s a lesson that young players go through and not just Pete, everybody goes through.”
The hamstring tightness didn’t impact Crow-Armstrong a day later, as he quickly caused chaos on the base paths. He turned a second-inning RBI single into a Little League home run, drawing a throw to second as he advanced on a throw home. San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano’s off-target throw ended up in center field to allow Crow-Armstrong to score from second without a throw.
“(The Tokyo Series) wasn’t the focal point of the conversation,” Crow-Armstrong said of his conversation with Counsell. “But the goal is the 160 (games) that’s after Japan. It’s important for me to be on the field for Japan, but it’s more important to be on the field in September, October hopefully. So anything we can do to set myself up for that, I think was the plan.”
Tyson Miller looking to get on track
Right-hander Tyson Miller became an unexpected stabilizing force in the bullpen last May as the Cubs tried to navigate losing multiple key relievers to injuries.
Miller, who is out of minor-league options, hasn’t gotten off to a great start this spring as he looks to repeat last year’s success. In three Cactus League appearances, Miller has allowed seven runs, eight hits, three walks and struck out three in 2 1/3 innings. Counsell thought Miller’s stuff looked better in Monday’s outing despite his pitching line (four runs and five hits in 2/3 innings).
“I know the results didn’t look good, and he went through a tough pocket of hitters as well, but I thought just from pitch shapes and things like that and the velocity, it was a good day,” Counsell said. “He ran into some trouble, there’s no question. And a couple guys hit the ball hard, and then he responded really well.
“It’s the third outing of the year, and we have to remember that too,” Counsell added. “When we’re talking about the good, we have to remember that for that, that’s a pretty small sample. So hopefully we’re moving in the right direction in terms of stuff because that’s important.”
The Cubs took a flier on Miller, 29, last year when they claimed him off waivers from Seattle, bringing him back to the organization that drafted him in the fourth round in 2016. He became a dominant arm in the backend of the Cubs’ bullpen, posting a 2.15 ERA in 50 1/3 innings, walking 10 and striking out 42. That performance will play a role in how the Cubs determined Miller’s fit amid his spring performance.
“Last year matters for Tyson, absolutely,” Counsell said. “Things are different, we have to acknowledge that and evaluate that, certainly what he accomplished last year also does.”
Shota Imanaga moves one start closer to Tokyo Series
Last spring was all about adjustments for left-hander Shota Imanaga.
During his first camp entering his rookie season, Imanaga worked with the Cubs to simplify his arsenal and get a read on how his stuff played against big-league hitters. Heading into Year 2, Imanaga has been able to focus more on preparing for the season and less on trying to handle the acclimation process.
Imanaga tossed four shutout innings while allowing just two hits, no walks and striking out three Tuesday against the Padres in his penultimate spring start before getting the ball for the Cubs’ season opener March 18 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Tokyo Dome.
“For the last start, I feel like it’s more about the results of, did I pitch well, if I didn’t do well,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “So I feel like the better I do, the more stable I feel, mentally, emotionally going into Japan so for the last start, that’s kind of my goal.”
