{"id":591031,"date":"2026-02-24T23:07:57","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T23:07:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/591031\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T23:07:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T23:07:57","slug":"chicago-cubs-trade-for-pete-crow-armstrong-will-haunt-mets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/591031\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Cubs trade for Pete Crow-Armstrong will haunt Mets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Cubs<\/a> have begun Spring Training and are busily figuring out what players will be included on their 2026 Opening Day roster. One player that is a certified lock is All-Star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong<\/a>. Fresh off winning his first Gold Glove and top-10 finish in NL MVP voting, Crow-Armstrong has all the makings of being the next face of the franchise in Chicago.<\/p>\n

Granted, there are still improvements that he can make in his game, particularly at the plate where he has a propensity to strikeout at a high rate. That being said, he still had a 30-30 season in 2025, becoming one of the youngest players in MLB history to accomplish that feat.<\/p>\n

Indeed, Crow-Armstrong has the potential to be a generational player, and to think the Cubs got him in a trade for Javier Baez.<\/p>\n

The New York Mets must be haunted by trading Pete Crow-Armstrong to the Chicago Cubs
\n\"ChicagoChicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) celebrates the Cubs win against the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Crow-Armstrong was acquired by the Cubs in a trade with the New York Mets in June of 2021. They sent Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to New York to get him.<\/p>\n

Last year, PCA hit .247\/.287\/.481 with 31 home runs, 95 RBI, and 35 stolen bases. Baez, meanwhile, only played 47 games for the Mets and hit .299\/.371\/.515 for them before heading off to the Detroit Tigers.<\/p>\n

In other words, New York got less than half a season from Baez while one of their best former prospects, PCA, has emerged as a rising star under club control with the Cubs for years to come.<\/p>\n

In a recent article in which he listed multiple trades that must haunt some franchise,\u00a0Bleacher Report<\/a>\u2018s Tim Kelly listed the Mets and the PCA trade:<\/p>\n

\u201cCrow-Armstrong\u2014who can\u2019t become a free agent until after the 2030 season\u2014was traded by the Mets for half a season of Javier B\u00e1ez in July of 2021. (The Mets did also acquire RHP Trevor Williams in the trade.) B\u00e1ez actually did post an .886 OPS as a Met, but New York crashed and burned after the trade, finishing the season at 77-85.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Mets let B\u00e1ez walk for a six-year, $140 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, which has proven to be a smart move. However, it makes giving up Crow-Armstrong a year after he was their first-round pick even more perplexing. Imagine if they had him in center field right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead, the Mets are rolling the dice on Luis Robert Jr. in 2026, hoping that this is the year the former All-Star is finally able to stay healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Chicago Cubs pitching depth makes Ben Brown a \u201cdark horse\u201d for 2026 Opening Day Roster
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