Inside The Cubs

Cubs Lineup: Chicago Gets Pete Crow-Armstrong Back vs Braves

After missing the series finale against the Washington Nationals, the Chicago Cubs All-Star center fielder returns to the lineup on Monday to face the Atlanta Braves.
Scott Conrad|
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The Chicago Cubs didn't exactly have a great weekend. After winning the series opener on Friday, they lost two games in a row to the lowly Washington Nationals.

Injuries happened to some key members of the NL Wild Card-leading Cubs as well. Outfielders Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong missed some action, and relief pitcher Daniel Palencia is about to do the same.

The good news going into this week is that the Cubs will have their best home run hitter this season back in the lineup on Monday. Chicago is on the road for a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves. This is another below .500 club from the NL East that the Cubs should be able to regain their footing against.

What happened to Crow-Armstrong over the weekend?

The All-Star outfielder managed to successfully steal his 32nd stolen base on the season in the 11-5 win against the Nationals on Friday. Unfortunately, his next game was not kind to Crow-Armstrong.

The Cubs' starting center fielder did not finish the game on Saturday as he fouled a ball off and it appeared to hit him in the knee. “I’ve never fouled a ball straight off my kneecap before,” Crow-Armstrong said postgame. “I think it’s a new (kind of) pain … It was a good stinger for sure.”

Manager Craig Cousell and the training staff observed Crow-Armstrong afterwards. They elected to keep their star out of the game on Sunday. He was listed day-to-day but his status improved greatly to open up the new week and series for the Cubs.

What Crow-Armstrong's return means for the Cubs?

Defensively, Chicago always benefits from having their center fielder in the game. Crow-Armstrong has just two errors in 138 games heading into the series against in Atlanta.

The Sherman Oaks, California native has only had two multi-hit games since the Cubs won the five-game set against the Brewers in the middle of last month. On Monday, Chicago has him batting fourth against the Braves.

Losing another series for the Cubs can't happen if the team wants to win the NL Central and leapfrog the Milwaukee Brewers. Their lead over the NL Wild Card's top spot also shrank from five games to three games. Crow-Armstrong needs to make productive contact with the ball, get on base, and help Chicago score if they want to make the postseason for the first time in five years.

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Scott Conrad
SCOTT CONRAD

Scott Conrad is a Beat Writer for Chicago Cubs On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated Network. He is also a Contributor for the Chicago Sky and Washington Wizards On SI as well as Niner Noise and The View from Avalon on FanSided. Scott grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, primarily Lombard and Naperville, Illinois, and attended Cubs games regularly when he attended Neuqua Valley High School. He graduated from Ball State University with a degree in advertising. His passion to be a sports journalist started in middle school. In 2015 & 2016, Scott was a Correspondent for the Tampa Bay Times covering high school football games. He is also a youth volleyball coach and a two-time published author.

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