Pete Crow-Armstrong Refuses to Get Carried Away as Cubs Make Huge Push Amid Disastrous Season

Pete Crow-Armstrong is on a hot streak, hitting three homers in three consecutive games, powering the Chicago Cubs in winning their last two series. However, that’s still not enough for a team currently ranked third in the NL Central with a 39-36 record. Just last week, the Cubs became the first team in 2026 to fall to .500 despite staying 15 games over since the start. It was the San Diego Padres who achieved the same record last in 1996.

Despite the Cubs’ hints snapping their early-season disaster, Crow-Armstrong refused to get carried away.

“I’m not gonna buy into that yet. I want to keep stacking (wins), I think what I’m happiest about is coming out after a loss and getting a W the next day. I think that’s what was really consistent about this team last year and really strong and important,” Marquee Sports Network quoted Pete Crow-Armstrong.

The Cubs finished in April with a 17-9 record, which came crashing down to a 13-16 record in May. In June, the stats are again upwards with a current 7-8 record so far. And the biggest credit goes to Pete Crow-Armstrong. He began walking more frequently, dropping his chase rate from an MLB-worst 52% early in the year to 45.6%. Moreover, by May, his hard-hit rate boomed to 53.8%, and his average exit velocity rose to 92.4 mph. For Crow-Armstrong, the credit for his resurrection also goes to Craig Counsell.

PCA on the Cubs' back-to-back series wins: "I'm not gonna buy into that yet, I want to keep stacking (wins). I think what I'm happiest about is coming out after a loss and getting a W the next day. I think that's what was really consistent about this team last year and really… pic.twitter.com/qCuHLXRqh7

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) June 18, 2026

“We’re all lucky enough to be able to show up every day. Couns made an interesting point to me the other day when he said, It kind of feels like it’s a bunch of have-tos. We have to get the job done. We have to pick it up, turn it around, and win these games. You can’t forget that we get to do this,” Pete Crow-Armstrong credits his manager.

However, what makes Crow-Armstrong different from other Cubs players is how he is staying realistic. “Just the law of averages, guys, it has to turn. I’m telling ya. We can’t go an entire season with the lack of success that we’ve had in scoring position. There’s such a thing called regression to the mean, and that’s coming,” Ian Happ said a few days ago. In contrast, Crow-Armstrong is focusing on maintaining the momentum.

The Cubs are still ranked 19th in terms of ERA (4.26). The rotation has been heavily depleted. Missing key arms, such as the loss of top prospect Cade Horton for the season and setbacks for Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon, have forced the Cubs to rely on depth pieces. So, the struggle is yet to get over. For Crow-Arstrong, it’s still a long way before getting confident.

An aggressive trade deadline could help bring the required confidence.

The Cubs need to equip themselves by the deadline

A reliable starting pitcher is what the Cubs need on an immediate basis. Tarik Skubal will likely be the most obvious option. But for Skubal, the Cubs need to give up names they would not love to. “Tarik Skubal may be too rich for their blood, but Sandy Alcantara, Robbie Ray and Freddy Peralta will be on their bucket list,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale said.

Because Alcantara brings significant value and contract control, any package from the Cubs would require a haul. Rumored trade frameworks often involve top Cubs pitching prospects and young major leaguers, as the Marlins are actively seeking high-ceiling players to restock their farm system. Additionally, Ray brings veteran experience, postseason credibility, and a needed left-handed arm to Craig Counsell’s pitching staff.

Because Ray is in the final year of his contract and the Cubs would need to absorb the remainder of his roughly $25 million salary, the prospect cost is lowered. The Giants could receive a bat-first prospect in Jonathon Long, who has a strong track record at Triple-A to help fix their lineup, alongside a young arm to plug into their pitching depth. Options are many, but what the Cubs could pull up would determine their second half of the season.

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