Pete Crow-Armstrong injury scare just exposed Cubs' hidden roster flaw

The Chicago Cubs will be without Pete Crow-Armstrong for their showdown with the Kansas City Royals after the All-Star centerfielder suffered a bruised knee. It's not a long-term issue, but it does leave the Cubs compromised in the outfield Monday night.

In PCA's place will be Seiya Suzuki, Chicago's primary designated hitter who is getting his first career start in centerfield. Longtime veteran Justin Turner will occupy the DH slot with Suzuki taking up his glove.

On the surface, it is a reasonable last-minute adjustment. Turner is Chicago's best reserve bat and Suzuki's normal position (when he's not DH) is right field, so there's outfield experience. And yet, a dig just below the surface reveals a rancid truth. The Cubs' depth is atrocious and Jed Hoyer has serious work to do before the July 31 trade deadline, lest Chicago sit perpetually one injury away from catastrophe.

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Cubs desperately need to improve depth after Pete Crow-Armstrong injury scare

On balance, Suzuki has been a defensive negative throughout his career. He has the arm strength to man center field, but lacks the quickness and ranginess one might expect at the position. PCA ranks among the very best defenders in MLB. Not only is Suzuki a downgrade, he's straight up unfamiliar with the position. God forbid if PCA gets more seriously hurt, but Suzuki in centerfield is not a proven solution. There's too much volatility.

Moreover, Turner being the "best reserve bat" on the Cubs roster is not a complement. It's an indictment of Chicago's bench, and it's the reason Suzuki is being yanked out of the DH slot, rather than a more traditional backup outfielder taking PCA's place. Turner's .573 OPS ranks No. 1 among Chicago's reserve group. Jon Berti (.511) and Vidal Bruján (.452), both of whom have outfield chops, just can't hit. To an even greater extent than the 40-year-old Turner.

Chicago has depth in the farm system, but none of their top prospects feel like particularly imminent upgrades. That leaves Hoyer and the front office with lots of work to do in the coming days. Much has been made of the Cubs' need for arms in the bullpen, but a few more bats — even cheap bench bats — would go a long way toward solidifying Chicago's standing in the National League.

Jed Hoyer is torn between several needs at the deadline

Chicago's needs obviously don't stop with "depth." The rotation is a genuine concern. Shōta Imanaga and Matthew Boyd are postseason locks, but the rest of Chicago's rotation breeds uncertainty. A proven veteran, like Seth Lugo or Zac Gallen, could go a long way toward helping the Cubs stand up to high-powered offenses come October. The bullpen always needs work too, even with Daniel Palencia throwing gas in the closing role.

Meanwhile, the lineup features a glaring hole at third base. Matt Shaw's rookie season has fallen well short of expectations and even a recent hot spell does not feel like enough to save him. Chicago has been linked to several third basemen on the trade front, including potential 60-home run threat Eugenio Suárez.

Those are all substantial needs, but even if the Cubs add Suárez at the hot corner and plant another ace behind Imanaga and Boyd, the depth problem won't really improve. Hoyer has a lot on his plate in the next 10 days. He's capable of fixing it all, but will he address every single point of vulnerability? Probably not. Chicago will enter the season's stretch run with at least a few lingering question marks.