Latest news with #Crow-Armstrong
Newsweek
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cubs All-Star Speaks On Team USA Possibility
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Team USA's team for next year's World Baseball Classic is beginning to come into form. Manager Mark DeRosa has gotten commitments from some of baseball's biggest stars such as Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Bobby Witt Jr. and most recently Cal Raleigh. One name that has been thrown around as a possible starting centerfielder for Team USA is Chicago Cubs superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 14: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs meets with the media at the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 14: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs meets with the media at the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Matt Dirksen/Crow-Armstrong spoke to the media during All-Star Game media availability Monday and expressed his desire to play for DeRosa and team USA in the WBC. "I mean that's some of like the most meaningful baseball I'd ever play," Crow-Armstrong said in a video posted on X by Marquee Sports Network. "I love what USA Baseball does, they run a great program, so I'd take whatever role they asked of me and go do whatever they asked me to do. "I'd follow everyone else's lead; I mean yeah that would be an honor, I'd go run everything down and yeah I'd just love to be a part of it." PCA speaks on wanting to play for Team USA at the WBC 👀 — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 14, 2025 If he is chosen to join the team, Crow-Armstrong would likely be a starter for Team USA, and it would be for good reason. He is having a breakout season with 25 home runs, 71 RBIs and 27 stolen bases prior to the All-Star break. Crow Armstrong is also playing Gold Glove-caliber defense in centerfield, as he has 13 defensive runs saved and an MLB-best 16 outs above average. He's been one of the main reasons that Chicago is having its best year since 2016 and is headed well toward a playoff spot in the National League. PCA AGAIN! Pete Crow-Armstrong mashes No. 25 on the year 😤 — MLB (@MLB) July 10, 2025 If he's not already a fan favorite across the world, his emergence on Team USA could potentially make him one of baseball's most popular young stars for years to come. More MLB: Red Sox Predicted To Cut Ties With $21M Pitcher After $200M Contract Report
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Current Cubs All-Star Shows Love to Former Cubs All-Star
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Four seasons ago, the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets made a trade that would change the course of both franchises. Chicago sent shortstop Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to New York in return for 19-year-old centerfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. Fast forward to Tuesday, and both Crow-Armstrong and Baez started in centerfield for their respective All-Star teams. Crow-Armstrong had the chance to speak about Baez and what it meant to be in the same All-Star game four years after being traded for each other. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 14: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs meets with the media at the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 14: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs meets with the media at the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Matt Dirksen/"I'm proud of him," Crow-Armstrong said in a video posted to X by Marquee Sports Network. "He doesn't need that but I'm really happy to see what he's done with Detroit. He's really deserving of it, and he's earned it." "It's not easy to go play a new position and that ballpark, that outfield is huge, so being able to be considered the best AL centerfielder of the first half is a huge testament to his work. I don't know what that's looked like, but it doesn't just happen, so yeah, I think it's really cool." 'He's really deserving of it, and he's earned it.' PCA gives his flowers to Javy Báez for being named the starting AL center fielder 👏 — Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 14, 2025 Baez has certainly put in the work after being considered one of baseball's worst players in each of the last two seasons. Last season may have been the worst of Baez's career, as he had a .184 average with just six home runs, 37 RBIs and a minus-1.1 WAR. This season has been the complete opposite, as he has a .275 average with 10 home runs, 39 RBIs and a 2.1 WAR at the All-Star break. All those stats are the reason why Baez was the opposing centerfielder to Crow-Armstrong in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. The two had a chance to catch up for a brief moment prior to Tuesday's game and had a chance for a photo opportunity four years after being traded for one another. Things always have a way of working themselves out. — Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 15, 2025 More MLB: Why Padres 'Trade Deadline Dream Scenario' Makes Perfect Sense For San Diego
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Earning respect made a wacky All-Star Game a success for Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong
ATLANTA — A few hours before Tuesday's All-Star Game at Truist Park, Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was considering which bat to use. Crow-Armstrong picked up a colorful model from his locker and showed it to the media. The bat included a cartoon of the Cubs' mascot, Clark the Cub, on the barrel. Using it would've been a marketing coup for the Ricketts' family that introduced the mascot a decade ago. 'The Bat King made this one,' Crow-Armstrong said of the maker. 'It's pretty cool, pretty impressive. It's got an earring in Clark's ear, too. Killed it. We'll see which one I'm going to use. Might be this one.' But in the end, Crow-Armstrong said he was 'nervous' about using a new bat, so he stuck with a normal bat with no cartoon, no mascot and no earring. It didn't seem to matter, as Crow-Armstrong doubled to right off New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón in his first at-bat. No Clark? 'Kind of just spaced,' he said afterward. 'Picked the bat I'd been using during the year, and it felt nice. I didn't want to change anything up. It worked, for that one at-bat.' Crow-Armstrong went 1-for-2 in his All-Star debut, while teammate Kyle Tucker was 0-for-2 with a nice catch in left field. The National League blew a 6-0 lead in the final three innings, watching the American League tie it on Steven Kwan's RBI infield hit off Edwin Díaz with two outs in the ninth. The game ended in a tie, which led to the first-ever swing-off between the two sides, an abbreviated Home Run Derby with six players. No one in the crowd seemed to know what in the world was going on, and the p.a. announcer told them the rules — three players from each team would get three swings apiece, and the team with the most combined home runs would 'win' the game. Ex-Cub Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies hit three of the NL's four home runs for a 4-3 tiebreaker win, earning the game's MVP award. What was left of the NL team celebrated near the dugout. Many of the players on both sides left the ballpark after they were removed from the game, as is commonplace in modern All-Star Games. White Sox pitcher Shane Smith entered the game in the eighth inning with the American League trailing 6-4 and hit the first batter he faced, Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez, on the left hand. Smith then induced Washington Nationals pinch-hitter James Wood to hit into a force at second base before being removed. Smith inadvertently played a part in the ending, since Suárez was designated to be a swing-off participant, but was removed from the NL trio due to his hand and replaced by Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers, who hit only one home run on his three swings. It didn't matter, thanks to Schwarber's swats. Smith was told beforehand he'd be an 'emergency' option for American League manager Aaron Boone, and said he was OK with whatever happened. 'To be here is enough,' Smith said. 'To throw would be exceptional. I just want to make the most of my opportunity.' Smith called the week an 'incredible' experience. 'Especially going outside (Monday) and playing catch with all the fans, sitting around (batting practice). And talking with (Garrett) Crochet, meeting (Jacob) deGrom and (Max) Fried,' he said. 'Not picking their brains too much, but just talking, trying to get to know them a little bit.' In a game that was Crow-Armstrong's introduction on a national stage, everyone was waiting for him to make a web gem in his first All-Star Game. But PCA didn't have a fly ball hit to him in his five innings of defensive play. Still, he was satisfied watching Tucker make a beautiful, sliding catch in left field in the second inning, robbing Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh of a hit. 'Odd watching that guy run the other way for a ball,' Crow-Armstrong said. Tucker said it felt 'weird' playing left for the first time in years, on the other side of Crow-Armstrong. He added that he needed to make the catch for Los Angeles Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw, who was basically selected to the roster as a career excellence award. 'With Clayton on the mound, I felt that was probably the one I should catch today,' Tucker said. 'It all worked out.' Crow-Armstrong and Tucker also had some miscommunication on a fly ball by the Athletics' Jacob Wilson in the third, which occurred while Crow-Armstrong was mic'd up for the Fox TV broadcast. Tucker made the catch, with Crow-Armstrong backing off at the last second. 'I had the ear things in and I couldn't hear a lick of what was happening around me,' Crow-Armstrong said. 'I finally had the wherewithal to take a peek and so I backed off. I'm happy to leave that one to Kyle. I would've liked to have caught one in the air today. But, nah, all good.' As for the hit, PCA said he was just glad to get one off Rodón. 'Finally,' he said. 'We had just faced him in New York this weekend and he diced against us. But it was nice to get that one out of the way, and nice to give an opportunity to someone else.' In the end, the experience was more important than any individual moment. After the final interview, Crow-Armstrong hugged his mother and father in the tunnel outside the clubhouse. 'All day was kind of just sitting around and chopping it up, which was really cool,' Crow-Armstrong said. 'Getting to chat with Kershaw was definitely something that my younger self would've been pretty happy about.' Kershaw laughed about meeting players like Crow-Armstrong who grew up watching him. 'A lot of people have been saying that,' Kershaw said. 'He seems awesome. You get little snippets of guys, so you don't know for sure. But he said hi to my kids, like a super nice guy. I love watching him play. He's a lot of fun out there. He kind of does everything well, which is pretty impressive.' Schwarber said Crow-Armstrong reminds him a little of Javier Báez, his old Chicago teammate. 'Being able to talk to PCA a little bit, it does remind you of (Báez) a little bit,' Schwarber said. 'He does create havoc out there on the base paths and in the game in general — the fun things, like going first to third and stealing on some crazy (play), rounding third and going home on a slow roller. Those are things you'd remember Javy would do. Javy's got that baseball instinct, and I think (Crow-Armstrong) has got that, too. 'It's fun to see how the Chicago faithful have kind of taken him in and lifted him up to be that type of player.' There were no heroic moments for Crow-Armstrong, but he was happy to get a hit and feel like he was one of the gang. 'The respect level from everybody was super cool,' he said. There's no doubt there will be more All-Star Games in Crow-Armstrong's future. But like everything else that's good in life, you always remember the first time. And with an ending that confused almost everyone in the ballpark, it was a night that no one would soon forget.
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Pete Crow-Armstrong lives it up at All-Star Game with girlfriend: ‘Glad I've got someone good looking'
Pete Crow-Armstrong was having the time of his life walking down the MLB All-Star Game red carpet on Tuesday night in Atlanta. The 23-year-old was all smiles as he walked hand in hand with girlfriend, Hailey Lavelle, as fans chanted 'Pete, Pete, Pete' while he stopped to sign autographs. Crow-Armstrong is in the midst of a memorable season with the Cubs and started in center field for the National League All-Star team. Advertisement 3 National League outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) of the Chicago Cubs and girlfriend Hailey Lavelle pose for photo on the red carpet before the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'It's the best. It's my first red carpet,' Crow Armstrong told Marquee Sports Network. 'I'm glad I've got someone good looking with me and to hold my sweaty hands.' Advertisement The comment elicited a laugh out of Lavelle, who was standing by his side during the interview. The two have been dating for roughly a year and a half and Crow-Armstrong told GQ in an interview that the pair met at the wedding of 'High School Musical' star Vanessa Hudgens and former baseball player Cole Tucker in December 2023. PCA has been hitting the ball well this season, holding a .265 average with 25 home runs and 71 RBIs. 3 Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs defends his position during the first inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images Advertisement He's also stolen 27 bases and became the third player in major league history with 25 homers and 25 steals before the All-Star break. Crow-Armstrong, the son of actors Ashley Crow and Matthew John Armstrong, embraced the All-Star moment he was having on Tuesday night, even bringing out a custom bat that featured 'Clark the Cub' on it. However, during his first turn up, Crow Armstrong did not use the blue colored bat with the Cubs mascot on it, but he did double against Yankees lefty Carlos Rodón. He also shared a fun moment with Javier Báez, whom he was traded for in 2021 in a deal between the Mets and Cubs. Advertisement 3 National League outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) of the Chicago Cubs hits a double in the second inning during the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park. Brett Davis-Imagn Images 'Did you think you'd be playing center field in the All-Star Game?' Crow-Armstrong said in a video of the interaction posted to social media. 'Honestly, no, and I'm nervous now,' Báez replied. 'Hopefully, I don't get burned.'
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Column: With Pete Crow-Armstrong, Jacob Wilson and ‘The Miz,' baseball's future is in good hands
ATLANTA — Making his seventh All-Star Game appearance Tuesday night at Truist Park, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge suddenly felt ancient at age 33. 'My biggest takeaway is that I keep getting older,' Judge said. 'You keep seeing young guys come in here. I look over to see the A's Jacob Wilson, who's 23 years old and starting his first All-Star Game. You can see the excitement and joy in his eyes walking around here enjoying the festivities. It's pretty cool. 'Just trying to enjoy every moment, soak it in and share the knowledge I can with these young guys and go out and win this All-Star Game.' One of those young guys he wanted to see was Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, 23, who shared a couple of special moments with Judge last weekend at Yankee Stadium after they robbed each other of extra-base hits in the outfield. 'I'm definitely going to find him,' Judge told me. 'We both kind of gave each other little nods after each one. That was fun. That's what it's all about — we're out there competing. Obviously he wants to win, and I want to win as well. But having a little friendly competition there, some gamesmanship.' It started Friday when Judge leaped high against the right-field wall to rob Crow-Armstrong of a home run into the short porch. Crow-Armstrong waved his hand in mock disgust as he headed back to the dugout. 'Yeah, he gave me a little nod and whatnot,' Crow-Armstrong said of the back-and-forth. 'That guy is nuts. I don't even really want to talk about him. 'It's harder a lot of the time to appreciate what a guy is doing across the field when he's beating up on you, except for that. That was very easy to appreciate because of the greatness he displayed.' Crow-Armstrong reciprocated the next day with a running catch in left-center to rob Judge. This year's All-Star week belonged to Judge, the game's biggest star who is on pace to be remembered as one of the greatest hitters of all time. He and Shohei Ohtani were the main attractions for Fox Sports and fans watching Tuesday's game around the world. Column: For Chicago's MLB All-Stars in Atlanta, a chance to show they belongWhile Judge figures to be back many more times, he sounded like he's OK with turning the game over to the next generation, the kids like Wilson, Crow-Armstrong and Home Run Derby finalist Junior Caminero, 22. 'It's amazing,' Judge said. 'From a lot of the young pitchers that we've seen over the last couple years to be called up and succeed, to some of these young guys we've heard about for a while on the prospects lists that are now getting a chance to be up here and now they're in an All-Star Game like everyone expected, it's pretty special. Hopefully I can hang on long enough to compete at these events with these guys.' Wilson, the Athletics shortstop and son of former infielder Jack Wilson, is having such a brilliant rookie season, fans voted him in as an American League starter over the Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., 25, who was selected as a reserve. The Wilsons became the 20th father-son All-Star duo. Jacob Wilson could be a trendsetter if kids follow his lead and use their video game skills to hone their batting skills, as he does daily. 'Just a theory,' he said. 'Nothing to prove it.' I asked him how that worked, since most Gen Z gamers I know are inside with their controls instead of outside practicing their hitting. 'Obviously it's a little different,' he said. 'It's not going to work for everybody. But for me, I think the training-the-brain part (works). It's just being able to recognize stuff on the game before I go to the field, making those quick decisions on the game before I make quick decisions in the box. It's something I've always thought in the back of my head, 'Oh, this is kind of helping me.'' Can gamers emulate his methods? 'I try to tell the young kids, 'Stay in school, do your homework, don't just go home and play video games,'' Wilson said with a laugh. 'But young kids, once they finish their homework, they can go play and hopefully train themselves mentally to have the (skills) you need to play this sport.' Which player does he like to use in MLB: The Show? 'I would say me, but I don't have a lot of power,' he said. 'I'd say Aaron Judge is pretty fun to use because when you hit it, it goes far.' The next-gen All-Star getting the most attention in Atlanta was Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, 23, who was chosen as a replacement for Cubs starter Matthew Boyd when Boyd opted for rest. 'The Miz,' who stands 6-foot-7 and has a 103 mph fastball and 96 mph slider, is already a phenom. He has thrown 89 pitches of 100 mph or more — one reason he became the fastest player to be named an All-Star, with only five starts under his belt. The controversial decision Commissioner Rob Manfred signed off on was meant to create buzz for the game, while it upset baseball purists. Tuesday's National League starter, 23-year-old Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, made his All-Star debut last year after only 11 starts, while three other pitchers played in the game with only 13 appearances: the Detroit Tigers' Mark 'The Bird' Fidrych in 1976, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Hideo Nomo in 1995 and the Florida Marlins' Dontrelle Willis in 2003. I asked Manfred if this would be the norm or if Misiorowski was a unique case. 'Replacements is a really difficult issue,' Manfred replied. 'We had worked our way through more replacements than I wished we had to, and when I looked at choices, I thought that the appropriate balance on this one was the excitement that was going to be generated, the fan interest in seeing this guy — and, you know, I actually thought the competition in the game cut the same direction. 'He's a very, very good pitcher on a very, very good run right now, so I saw that (choice) go that direction. Do I understand that five starts are short? I do. Do I want to make that the norm? No, I don't. But I think it was the right decision, given where we were.' Cincinnati Reds outfielder Nick Castellanos said MLB was turning the All-Star Game into 'the Savannah Bananas,' meaning a gimmick that ignores the true meaning of an All-Star. Misiorowski handled the controversy well and said his fellow All-Stars treated him fine. 'I don't think they're really coming after me,' he said. 'It's more of what MLB put out. It's not something I've done to them, so I don't really think much of it. Guys are going to talk. They're going to say stuff. Oh, well.' Still, Misiorowski told me being the center of attention was weird. 'Of course it's crazy I'm even in talks for being an All-Star, let alone being here,' he said. 'Growing up in a small town (Grain Valley, Mo.), it's a world of change. It's fun, it's crazy. But you have friends and family that are really supportive. It's been awesome.' So how fast can a human being throw a baseball? Misiorowski said he read that 106 or 107 mph would be the physical limit. Does he want to be the first? 'I am happy with where I'm at,' he replied. 'So if it does go higher …' It won't be the Miz. But whoever it is, rest assured that kid will be invited to pitch in the All-Star Game — as soon as he finishes his homework.
