{"id":333381,"date":"2025-09-22T12:39:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T12:39:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/333381\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T12:39:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T12:39:07","slug":"how-pete-crow-armstrongs-breakout-2025-helped-cubs-return-to-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/333381\/","title":{"rendered":"How Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout 2025 helped Cubs return to playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Cubs sealed their place in the 2025 MLB postseason after two straight years of 83 wins and falling just short of the playoff tournament. How did the Cubs put it all together and get over the hump? Here are six key areas that led to the return of October baseball on the North Side.<\/p>\n

CINCINNATI \u2014 Jed Hoyer\u2019s end of season press conference last October featured a comment that drew the ire of many fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no question that when you\u2019re looking to beat projections, when you\u2019re looking to have that excellent season, having players just outperform expectations is a big part of it,\u201d Hoyer said at the end of the second-straight 83-win season for the Cubs.<\/p>\n

It gave the impression that the Cubs would bank on just internal improvements by player to overcome that 83-win threshold. We now know that they also had the intention of adding a high-WAR player, Kyle Tucker<\/a>, whom they added later in the offseason.<\/p>\n

But, as the Cubs sealed their first playoff berth<\/a> since 2020 and their first in a full season since 2018, Hoyer\u2019s comments did ring true in the reaching that target. Pete Crow-Armstrong<\/a> was expected to be a key contributor for the Cubs this season, his Gold Glove-caliber defense alone was proof of that. But his offense was the wild card \u2013 he had a solid end to 2024, but there was plenty of uncertainty on which Crow-Armstrong would show up at the plate.<\/p>\n

For much of the season, it was an elite-level bat. A player on the precipice of a 30-30 season and one whose all-around game has helped produce a 5.9 bWAR, the 10th-best mark in baseball and the fifth-best in the National League. He was the National League starter in center field at the All-Star Game and for much of the first half was in conversation alongside Shohei Ohtani to be the NL MVP.<\/p>\n

Players with 25 HR & 25 SB before the All-Star break \ud83e\udd29 <\/p>\n

\u2022 Bobby Bonds \u2013 1973
\u2022 Eric Davis \u2013 1987
\u2022 PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG \u2013 2025 pic.twitter.com\/84y5If014k<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 10, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a big bump in production from the roughly 3-WAR season he was anticipated to have by many prediction models and the type of season that helps a team \u201cbeat projections\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously what he did for the first half of the season was incredible,\u201d Hoyer said earlier this month. \u201cI think he struggles and he still, every day, helps us win games. His defense is just unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

The numbers he\u2019s put up have been almost forgotten because of his struggles of late. Since Aug. 1, Crow-Armstrong has been hitting .171 with a .489 OPS and just two home runs. That\u2019s weighed on the Cubs\u2019 breakout star this season and his coaches have tried to help him keep perspective on his struggles.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Assistant hitting coach Juan] \u201cPipi\u201d [Cabreja] has been saying it to me recently where it\u2019s like, \u2018You\u2019ve already done your season stat-wise,\u2019\u201d Crow-Armstrong said in Pittsburgh. \u201cI did not go into spring training thinking I\u2019d hit [29] home runs, whatever.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, there is perspective in that, that I\u2019m continuing to find out about and understand a little bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean these struggles are acceptable to the 23-year-old.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re killing rallies and when you feel like you\u2019re not driving in runs that should be driven in, I think the impatience becomes a little more heightened,\u201d Crow-Armstrong said. \u201cI just need to do a better job of really buying into one swing can change it, one feel, jam shot, bunt, playing the ball game. Not just hitting a homer to get out of something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because if he does regain his form, it could really help people forget about these late-season woes.<\/p>\n

The story of the season with him will be how he finished with whatever impressive counting stats with elite defense at a premium position and contributed to a playoff team. The second-half struggles might be forgotten \u2013 especially if he bounces back in the final stretch of the season and in the postseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all a wash [in the playoffs],\u201d Crow-Armstrong said. \u201cI\u2019m taking whatever feelings I got into that day and that game so absolutely ready to go compete. Keep this [thing] going.\u201d<\/p>\n