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Pete Crow-Armstrong is forcing baseball to pay attention originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For much of the 2026 season, Pete Crow-Armstrong looked like a talented young player still trying to put everything together. Now, he's becoming something much more dangerous.
The Chicago Cubs center fielder continued his torrid stretch Friday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays, reaching base five times while collecting three hits, an RBI, two stolen bases and a run scored during Chicago's 16-2 demolition at Wrigley Field.
At this point, Crow-Armstrong isn't just hot. He's forcing the rest of baseball to notice. The former top prospect has gone from an intriguing young player to one of the hottest hitters in Major League Baseball, and the Cubs are suddenly reaping the benefits.
Pete Crow-Armstrong's June has been ridiculous
The numbers tell the story. Entering Friday's game, Crow-Armstrong was already hitting an absurd .406 during the month of June. He had also piled up eight home runs, 11 RBIs and a staggering 1.341 OPS over that stretch.
Then he somehow made those numbers even better. Against Toronto, Crow-Armstrong reached base in five of his six plate appearances. He walked twice, singled three times and once again wreaked havoc on the bases with two stolen bags.
Every time he got on base, something happened. Every time he stepped to the plate, Toronto had a problem. That's becoming a familiar theme.
The breakout Cubs fans hoped for is finally here
Crow-Armstrong's recent surge didn't come out of nowhere. The tools have always been obvious. Elite speed. Gold Glove-caliber defense. Explosive athleticism.
The biggest question was whether the bat would catch up. Now it has.
After finishing April with a .237 batting average and .683 OPS, Crow-Armstrong has completely changed the trajectory of his season.
His season numbers have climbed to:
.276 batting average
15 home runs
16 stolen bases
.505 slugging percentage
.854 OPS
Those aren't just solid numbers. Those are numbers associated with emerging stars.
He's impacting games in every possible way
What separates Crow-Armstrong from many young power hitters is that he doesn't need to leave the yard to dominate a game. Friday was a perfect example.
He never homered. Yet he still felt like one of the most impactful players on the field.
He walked. He singled. He stole bases. He scored runs. He drove in runs. He constantly pressured Toronto's defense.
That's the type of all-around game that can change an offense.
And it's why Crow-Armstrong is becoming one of the most entertaining players in baseball to watch.
MORE: George Springer joins elite club with milestone blast that had Blue Jays fans celebrating
The Cubs may have found their biggest second-half weapon
Chicago still has work to do in the National League Central race. The Cubs entered Friday trailing both Milwaukee and St. Louis in the division standings. But if Crow-Armstrong continues playing at this level, the conversation around the Cubs could change quickly.
The timing couldn't be better. While many teams are searching for a midseason spark, Chicago appears to have found one from within. What began as a hot week has turned into a dominant month. What looked like a promising young player now looks like someone ready to become a star.
And with every game, Pete Crow-Armstrong is making it harder for the rest of baseball to ignore him.
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