In 2021, the Chicago Cubs shook up the baseball landscape by trading away some of their most beloved stars, signaling the beginning of a rebuild.
Among the big moves was the trade that sent Javier Báez and Trevor Williams to the New York Mets. In return, the Cubs received one of the key pieces to their future—outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
At the time, Crow-Armstrong was a highly-touted prospect, known for his elite defense and potential to be a future Gold Glove winner. Now, as the Cubs’ rebuild progresses, Crow-Armstrong is beginning to show why he was such an important acquisition.
Crow-Armstrong’s path to the Cubs was anything but ordinary, and in a recent interview on The Rose Rotation from Jomboy Media, the young outfielder opened up about how he learned he was traded. His reaction was one of disbelief.
“I didn’t feel like I was part of any trade talks that I had seen on TV or anything like that. Because I was hurt, I was hurt during that time. I had a sling on my shoulder,” Crow-Armstrong recalled.
At the time, Crow-Armstrong was rehabbing from a shoulder injury and hadn’t considered that he might be part of the Mets’ trade plans. In fact, he was more concerned about a teammate, Mark Vientos, who he thought was likely to be dealt.
“I think the morning I got traded I called [Mark] Vientos, because I think we all thought he was gonna get dealt. We were like, ‘Hey man, call me if anything happens to you,'” he shared.
The MLB trade deadline is a time of uncertainty for many players, especially those whose names are frequently mentioned in trade rumors. For Crow-Armstrong, he was so focused on supporting Vientos that he didn’t expect the call would be about him.
“I’ll be honest with you. Mark Vientos ended up being the first person to call me. Mark and I left the conversation at ‘call me if anything happens,’ so he FaceTimes me,” Crow-Armstrong explained.
This is when Crow-Armstrong began to sense that something had happened, though he wasn’t sure exactly what it was.
“I answer the phone and he just blank stare, didn’t say a word. So I kind of reciprocate that and don’t say anything back. And I’m like, ‘what happened?’ And, in the background, he’s in the clubhouse, I hear somebody go, ‘Pete Crow just got traded?’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, so this is about me.’ And then all of the sudden my phone kind of starts buzzing. I thought it was a joke, especially when whoever said that, said that.”
The confusion and disbelief quickly gave way to reality as Crow-Armstrong’s phone buzzed with notifications confirming the news. It was official: he was now a member of the Chicago Cubs organization.
Despite the shock of the trade, Crow-Armstrong expressed nothing but gratitude for his time with the Mets.
“I didn’t want to say anything bad about the Mets and that I loved my time there and I’m still friends with people in the organization,” he said, emphasizing that his experience with the Mets was a positive one.
Fast forward to 2023, and Crow-Armstrong is making good on his potential. Now fully healthy, he has become a key contributor for the Cubs. Since August 1st, he has been red-hot at the plate, posting an impressive .905 OPS and hitting seven home runs. His elite defense, which has always been his calling card, continues to shine, but his offensive breakout is giving Cubs fans plenty to be excited about.
At just 22 years old, Crow-Armstrong is emerging as one of the Cubs’ foundational pieces as they continue their rebuild. The outfielder, who was once a prized prospect for the Mets, is now proving why he was such a big part of Chicago’s future plans.
The trade that sent Báez and Williams to New York, along with the deals that shipped out franchise cornerstones Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, marked the end of an era for the Cubs. But it also signaled the beginning of something new. With Pete Crow-Armstrong blossoming into a potential star, the Cubs’ decision to rebuild is starting to look like the right one.
As Crow-Armstrong continues to grow into his role in Chicago, his journey from stunned prospect to key player offers hope to Cubs fans that brighter days are ahead. The player they acquired in a surprising deadline deal is now delivering on his potential, and his future looks as bright as ever.
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