Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell is ostensibly coming around to Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) after some sobering quotes over the winter. Perhaps watching the promising young center fielder rake against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers was the assurance the skipper needed.
Regardless, Counsell has done a complete 180 regarding his stance on Crow-Armstrong. When asked about the latter's prospects of being Chicago's everyday leadoff hitter this offseason, the former vastly underestimated his abilities from the batter's box. Fast forward to the present, Chicago's second-year dugout leader has changed his tune following the club's sweep of the Dodgers ... significantly.
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Craig Counsell is late to the party, but he now realizes what Cubs fans already knew about Pete Crow-Armstrong
"It’s what special players are capable of -- impacting all areas of the game," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of PCA (h/t MLB.com's Jordan Bastian). "Swinging the bat. Power. Baserunning. Defense. It was a wonderful game, and he made his presence felt in a big way, for sure."
Are we sure this is the same person who said the "best offensive players hit the most" ($) when discussing Crow-Armstrong in late January? Counsell expressed virtually no faith in the Cubs' rising star being the team's opening batsman this season. However, he's seemingly willing to eat his words as the good times keep rolling for Chicago.
Crow-Armstrong was sensational in both of Chicago's recent wins over the Dodgers. He went a combined 6-for-9 with two home runs and seven RBIs in the two-game set. The speedy outfielder also added two stolen bases to his tally.
Turning down a contract extension worth approximately $75 million not too long ago has aged well for PCA. He had a chance to cash in on a nice payday, but instead bet on himself for a bigger check down the road. Counsell's comments signal that his gamble has been worthwhile thus far.
Including his production versus L.A., Crow-Armstrong is up to five home runs, 17 RBIs, 10 steals and nine doubles this season. He boasts a healthy .294/.339/.549 slash line, plus an .888 OPS -- well above the league average. The 23-year-old has been instrumental to the Cubs' impressive start to the 2025 MLB campaign and looks like a long-term fixture in Chicago's lineup.