PCA returns to Midsummer Classic with second straight All-Star nod

CHICAGO -- For a second straight season, Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is headed to the Midsummer Classic.

The 24-year-old punched his ticket to this season’s All-Star Game, held in Philadelphia on July 14, with a June performance that inked him into Chicago’s history books. Crow-Armstrong hit .381 with 11 homers, five doubles, two triples, 20 RBIs and eight stolen bases to go along with a 1.249 OPS in 26 games last month.

When the Wrigley Field faithful learned of his All-Star selection, they greeted their center fielder with a standing ovation during pregame lineup announcements. They stood during his at-bats, chanting “P-C-A” while he reached base four times during the Cubs’ 3-0 loss to the Cardinals on Saturday.

“Nice to get the nod from the baseball world,” Crow-Armstrong said of his player-elected selection. “Having the fan vote get me in last year is obviously special, felt like I was able to reach the baseball world as a whole, but I think when it’s internal like this, knowing how hard this game is and how hard guys are working on a daily basis, I think that means a lot to me.

“… The best compliment you can get as a baseball player is someone in the uniform's respect. It means a lot, really.”

Crow-Armstrong earned that through a sizzling stretch at the plate that raised his batting average 47 percentage points, and his OPS by 175 points, as Crow-Armstrong surged himself into the NL MVP conversation. He hit safely in 14 straight games and had 12 multi-hit games in June. Despite hitting only seven homers total in March, April and May, Crow-Armstrong’s surge has him tied for the seventh-most in the National League.

The Cubs, who extended Crow-Armstrong for six years and $115 million in March, were hopeful to have a few other All-Star candidates, but for now, Crow-Armstrong is the club's lone representative despite Chicago entering Saturday tied with the Phillies for the fourth-most wins in the National League.

“I wish that part was more like last year and we had a couple more guys to enjoy that with, but it was nice,” Crow-Armstrong said of manager Craig Counsell’s speech to the team announcing his All-Star spot. “... It’s all I’ll ever need from that kind of moment. I don’t need anything more than that, that was great.”

While he might be headed there alone, Crow-Armstrong, who leads Chicago in batting average (.287), homers (19), hits (95), stolen bases (21), on-base percentage (.374), slugging percentage (.526) and OPS (.900), is the type of player the Cubs want to promote their team.

“In Pete’s case, what’s fun to watch [about him] is that there’s something in every part of the game that he is able to do,” Counsell said. “And he also does it as not a huge person -- he’s a pretty normal-sized person that can do it. And I think that also creates a connection with fans. And he’s an entertainer. He loves that part of it, he’s good at it. He’s naturally wired to do it, so you get a lot of it.”

Cubs fans witnessed that when Crow-Armstrong put together the 13th cycle in Cubs history on June 15.

But it’s not just the offensive side of the game, Crow-Armstrong is third in the Majors with 14 outs above average, trailing only Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. (17) and St. Louis’ JJ Wetherholt (17). Crow-Armstrong is tied with Wetherholt in fielding run value (16), and his arm value (three) is in the 99th percentile -- but it should not surprise anyone that the numbers back up one of the most impressive athletes to roam center at Wrigley Field.

“He’s the type of player when you have him behind you as a pitcher, he’s such a good fielder he’s going to lower your ERA,” said Shota Imanaga through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “He’s going to make your metrics better, and I think that’s for all the pitchers on our staff. Everybody’s very thankful for the player he is and I think there’s nobody that would doubt the fact that he was selected as an All-Star.”

It’s been a fast rise for Crow-Armstrong, who burst onto the scene last season, when he clubbed 31 homers in his second year as a regular. And he just keeps getting better, with the outfielder on pace to set career bests in hits, homers and batting average -- already setting a new high-water mark in walks (41) in 89 games this season.

“I think what I love about this sport is that I continue to find out what I’m capable of,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I also don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. I think the work I’m doing right now physically, in terms of the routine in the cage and in the weight room, is something I want to hold onto.

“The way that I’m able to get on base and the type of at-bats that I’m having, it’s just a great place to start. Man, I think I’m confident in my ability to keep this up and that’s really where I want to be.”

Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF
Previous All-Star appearances: 1 (2025)
Something to know: On target to join Sammy Sosa (1993-95) and Ryne Sandberg (1990-91) as the only players in Cubs history with consecutive seasons with at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases.