Now a face of the Cubs,
Crow-Armstrong relishes role more than money from 6-year, $115 million
deal
[March 28, 2026]
By MATT CARLSON
CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong says settling into Chicago and
becoming one of the faces of the Cubs matter more to him than the
windfall from the six-year, $115 million contract the All-Star
center fielder signed with the team.
“The best part is knowing that I’m here, it’s where I wanted to be,”
Crow-Armstrong said at a news conference Friday. The Cubs announced
the deal after Thursday’s 10-4 loss to Washington on opening day.
"When I leave the field yesterday and go back to my place, and
knowing this is going to be my routine for the next six-plus (years)
… that’s what I’m most excited about.”
The 24-year-old Crow-Armstrong had already agreed to a one-year
agreement for 2026 calling for $894,000 while playing in the majors.
His new deal includes a $5 million signing bonus payable by May 15
and salaries of $10 million each in 2027, ’28 and ’29, $20 million
in 2030 and $30 million apiece in 2031 and ’32. The pact also has
performance bonuses.
Crow-Armstrong said his agents, led by Ryan Hamill of Creative
Artists Agency, told him he might be blown away by huge contract
numbers that would surface on paper once negotiations with the Cubs
started in January 2025.
“They said, 'Hey you’re gonna see what it says on the sheet and
you’re going to start (spinning)’ and I did,” Crow-Armstrong said.
Crow-Armstrong won a Gold Glove in 2025, his third season with the
Cubs, when he batted .247 with 31 home runs, and 95 RBIs. Despite
slumping at the plate after the All-Star break, the Southern
California native became the first Cubs player with 30 or more
homers, stolen bases (35) and doubles (37) in a season and only the
second Cub after Sammy Sosa to go deep 30 or more times and swipe 30
or more bases.
Jed Hoyer, the Cubs president of baseball operations, stopped short
of calling Crow-Armstrong the new face of the franchise. Yet Hoyer
said the outfielder will not only help the NL Central-favorite Cubs
win, but strengthen their brand and win over fans.
“He’s a top-10 selling jersey for a reason, because who his is as a
person and who he is as a player." Hoyer said. “The more kids around
the country, not just in Chicago … wearing Cubs uniforms the
better.”
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Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) runs to first after bunting a
one-run single during the seventh inning of an opening-day baseball
game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in
Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
The Cubs added veteran third baseman Alex Bregman
in the offseason via a $175 million, five-year contract in free
agency after winning 92 games last season and then falling to
Milwaukee in the NL divisional round.
Chicago also has signed second baseman Nico Hoerner, another of its
three 2025 Gold Glover winners, to a six-year contract. The team has
yet to formally announce the deal, marking another major commitment
for the franchise, because it was pending a physical.
Crow-Armstrong, joined by his parents on Friday, embraces leading
the Cubs deeper into the postseason — and to increased prominence.
“I think the national representation is important,” he said. “It's
something that I’m going to take a lot of pride in being responsible
for. I’ve got good people to learn from so I’m set up to succeed
here."
Crow-Armstrong was selected by the New York Mets in the first round
of the 2020 amateur draft. He was traded to the Cubs in the Javier
Báez deal in July 2021, then made his major league debut in 2023,
going 0 for 14 in 13 games. He struggled early in 2024 before
batting .289 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in his last 57 games.
Although the Cubs didn’t draft Crow-Armstrong, Hoyer considers the
outfielder a “homegrown” talent the team wants to see reach
superstar status.
“I think the most important thing is this is a player we wanted to
make a commitment to,” Hoyer said. “We had five years of control,
but honestly felt that wasn’t enough.
“And like I said, he’s really a great person to invest in. It made
sense to do this now and make sure that he was wearing a Cubs
uniform for a long time.”
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