Back at Dodger Stadium, Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong finds his place on MLB's hottest team

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Or maybe, as Crow-Armstrong acknowledged, there was a correlation between the sense of freedom he suddenly felt and the All-Star performance that soon followed. Everything came together last April at Dodger Stadium, near his childhood home in Southern California, which only magnified the situation. “I was a little pissed off that it got leaked,” Crow-Armstrong said, “but sometimes I play well when I’m pissed.” The details of the initial report on social media were inaccurate, though Cubs executives did seriously engage Crow-Armstrong’s representatives at Creative Artists Agency before agreeing to pause those extension talks. At that point, the club had offered $66 million guaranteed, league sources told The Athletic, and signaled a willingness to continue negotiating. That moment still resonates over a year later. It was a turning point for the young center fielder who has found his place on the hottest team in baseball right now. The Cubs extended their winning streak to 10 games with Friday’s 6-4 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, demonstrating their all-around skills and resilience against the two-time defending World Series champs. The sellout crowd of 53,733 repeatedly booed when Crow-Armstrong’s name was announced, responding to his comments in a preseason cover story for Chicago magazine that went viral. In praising Cubs fans for “paying attention,” Crow-Armstrong said, “They aren’t just baseball fans who go to the game like Dodgers fans to take pictures.” It seems Dodgers fans have not forgotten Pete Crow-Armstrong’s comments … pic.twitter.com/oWDTODxuRA — Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) April 25, 2026 The energy and attention fuel Crow-Armstrong, who understands that this is an entertainment business. There was so much to process last year when he weighed Chicago’s contract proposal around the season-opening Tokyo Series. He elected to bet on himself, believing he could unlock more of his offensive potential while consistently delivering elite defense. Still, it was not a decision made lightly. “The first time seeing anything written on paper, my agents prepared me for that, too,” Crow-Armstrong said. “They were like, ‘Hey, you’re going to see what it says on the sheet, and you’re going to start spinning.’ And I did.” Crow-Armstrong spiraled enough in the early weeks of the season that the organization wondered if he needed a mental reset. By the time they were in Los Angeles, Crow-Armstrong had zero home runs and a batting average hovering around .200. Approached at his locker, he was clearly annoyed by the contract questions from reporters inside Dodger Stadium’s visiting clubhouse. If there were any second thoughts, it wasn’t about the money. “It was more so being like I don’t want to miss this opportunity to make sure that I’m here,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Because I had never really given a s— about how much I’m getting paid. Obviously, I think it’s important to make sure other center fielders get paid what they should get paid. But I don’t play this game for that. “I think when it came out last year, with the numbers being incorrect, I was like, ‘F— it, who cares?’” Crow-Armstrong went out and performed on “Sunday Night Baseball,” producing two home runs and a triple and blowing a kiss to his parents in Dodger Stadium’s VIP section behind home plate. Beginning with that offensive explosion on April 13 last year, he generated 25 home runs before the All-Star break. That level of production — combined with Crow-Armstrong’s work ethic and marketing value — made the Cubs more comfortable with increasing their financial commitment. His offensive fade in the second half also lowered the price to get a deal done. All of these forces led to a six-year, $115 million contract extension before this season’s soft Opening Day deadline. At the age of 24, Crow-Armstrong is not yet a finished product. For now, he’s a face of the franchise who doesn’t have to be the superstar every night. He can hit eighth in a potent lineup, anchor the outfield defense and change games with his speed. There’s also the possibility that Crow-Armstrong could get hot again and carry the offense. That’s the thing about this 10-game winning streak — the Cubs have so many key pitchers on the injured list while several hitters haven’t clicked yet. Another complete team effort highlighted Friday night’s victory, which saw the Cubs fall behind 4-o early and come back with great defensive plays by Seiya Suzuki and Nico Hoerner in the seventh inning, and home runs from Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson in the eighth and ninth innings. Crow-Armstrong contributed to the late-game rally with a two-out walk in the seventh and a leadoff single in the ninth, scoring both innings. The win and the save would respectively go to Ryan Rolison and Corbin Martin, two relievers recently called up from Triple-A Iowa. “The players we have are staying ready to make an impact somehow,” Crow-Armstrong said. “You’re never really out of this thing with the lineup we have and the type of defense we play.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms