Here's Why The Cubs Chose Alexander Canario Over PCA

The Chicago Cubs announced this past Monday that prospect Alexander Canario would be called up to join the big league squad in Arizona. We speculated all day, wondering what the other half of the move was. Unfortunately, that move was Seiya Suzuki going to the injured list. He will miss extended time due to an oblique injury.

To start the 2024 season, Suzuki was on pace to have a career year. Before the injury, he was batting .306 with three home runs, four doubles, and thirteen runs batted in. Suzuki had fans chanting "M-V-P" when he approached the plate during the last homestand. Sadly, that talk will have to be shelved until maybe next season, as Suzuki is slated to miss about four weeks.

Canario will get plenty of playing time in Suzuki's absence. He'll have a chance to make it hard for Craig Counsell and Jed Hoyer to send down when Suzuki returns. But choosing who was coming up couldn't have been easy. Had the Cubs announced the Suzuki injury before the corresponding move, all eyes would have been on top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.

PCA struggled as a late-season call-up in 2023. In 14 at-bats, he failed to record a hit. So far, with AAA Iowa, he is batting .207 with two homers and five runs batted in. It's not a stellar start, but he's still the top prospect. So, why did he get leap-frogged by Canario? Because Counsell and the front office are playing chess, not checkers.

Alexander Canario Is The Best Matchup Option For Cubs

The Cubs will open a four-game series on Thursday at home against the Miami Marlins. The Marlins are scheduled to start three left-handed pitchers in the four games. This would be a tough matchup for left-handed batter Pete Crow-Armstrong. Looking ahead and knowing he needs at least four weeks of replacement for Seiya Suzuki, Craig Counsell hopes for a hot start from Alexander Canario.

In six games with the Cubs to end the 2023 season, Canario batted .294 and hit a towering grand slam for the first home run of his career. On Tuesday night, he made his first start in 2024, going 1-2 with a double and a run batted in.

Canario will have an excellent opportunity this coming weekend to showcase his power against the left-handed pitching slated for the Marlins. If this weekend goes as planned, he could have rights to the right field until Suzuki is back healthy. If that happens, the Cubs will have even more challenging and interesting decisions to make—a great conundrum to be in.

PCA will undoubtedly make the Chicago Cubs roster at some point this season. The time is just not now. He, Owen Caissie, and Matt Shaw will all eventually have their names called. Canario provides the best matchup out of the gate and is the right choice to be called up at this time.