Pete Crow-Armstrong’s new contract extension with the Chicago Cubs is for six years and $115 million, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Tuesday.
The deal, sources said, begins in 2027 and, in a rarity, does not include a club option, allowing Crow-Armstrong to hit free agency before his age-31 season.
Crow-Armstrong, who turns 24 on Wednesday, cemented himself as the best defensive center fielder in baseball last season and was strong offensively in his first full major league season. That prompted Chicago to pursue an extension over the winter, with Passan reporting Monday night that the sides were finalizing a long-term deal.
“Look, young, very talented players, you want them to be in your franchise for a long time,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters earlier Tuesday, ahead of any official announcement of the deal. “I think that’s every franchise’s goal.”
Crow-Armstrong hit .265/.302/.544 with 25 home runs and 27 stolen bases in the first half of last season, making the NL All-Star team. Though Crow-Armstrong struggled in the second half, with only six home runs, eight steals and a .216/.262/.372 slash line, his MVP-caliber talent convinced the Cubs that the second half was more anomalous than the first.
