Pete Crow-Armstrong contract update is annoyingly familiar to Cubs fans

Pete Crow-Armstrong's breakout season with the Chicago Cubs has been the talk of Major League Baseball, but in the back of every Cubs fan's mind has been whether Crow-Armstrong's future with the team will be limited to the years of control before he reaches free agency in 2030.

After Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs failed to reach an extension during Spring Training, the framework of a potential deal has dramatically changed. Given the success he has had, it's no longer a question of whether a potential contract extension should exceed $100MM. The question is whether a potential deal should exceed $200MM.

As with Kyle Tucker, whenever Jed Hoyer is taking part in an interview that isn't his normal scrum with the media at the start of a home stand, Hoyer was asked about a potential Crow-Armstrong contract while joining 670 The Score's morning show this week.

“We think the world of him,” Hoyer told Mully and Haugh. “And there’s so many things to like, not only about the way he plays the game but how he is as a teammate, how he interacts as a young player. So, we’d love to sign him long-term. Obviously, those conversations in-season are delicate. It’s something that I’m sure at some point, we will revisit. But right now, we’re letting him focus on the season.

Kicking the can on a PCA extension down the road will only hurt the Cubs

Yesterday's price is not today's price. That is a motto that Hoyer needs to keep in mind when it comes to the handling of an extension for Crow-Armstrong. Assuming the offensive breakout is legitimate, Crow-Armstrong could quickly become a $300MM player. Considering the Cubs have never signed a player to a contract worth more than $200MM, that reality could be unsettling.

The hope is that by this time next season, one of Tucker or Crow-Armstrong will be signed to a new contract. Given that Tucker is a free agent this winter, he is likely the more pressing situation to resolve. However, Crow-Armstrong's price is only going up with each passing day.