(670 The Score) When the Cubs traded away key members of their championship core in 2021, they sought to rebuild with the hope of finding new stars.
It looks like they may have one in 23-year-old center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who’s off to a strong start. Crow-Armstrong is hitting .284 with six home runs, 21 RBIs, an .868 OPS and 12 stolen bases in 30 games this season, the first one that he opened at the big league level.
Crow-Armstrong’s 2.0 WAR also ranks third in all of MLB, according to FanGraphs.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell has enjoyed Crow-Armstrong’s breakout and explained how his impact goes beyond his bat.
“It’s fun because I’m happy for the team and I’m happy for Pete,” Counsell told the Spiegel & Holmes Show on Wednesday. “And it’s also fun to watch just a player like that. You pay to watch people like this play baseball. This is a fun player to watch. Because it’s not just what he’s going to do in his at-bats. It’s when he’s on base, it’s when he’s on defense, it’s entertaining the crowd, it’s everything. It’s fun that that player plays for the Cubs, man. We got one of those guys, and our fans should be thrilled about that. It’s really cool that we get to watch Pete play.”
The Cubs acquired Crow-Armstrong in the trade that sent infielder Javier Baez to the Mets in July 2021.
The Cubs will play the Pirates on Wednesday evening in the second game of their three-game series in Pittsburgh. First pitch is set for 5:40 p.m. CT from PNC Park. Pregame coverage starts at 5:05 p.m. on 670 The Score and the Audacy app.