Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong has responded to the noise around his White Sox fan altercation in the best way possible, by playing like one of baseball’s most electric young stars.
The Cubs center fielder was fined after a vulgar exchange with a female fan at Rate Field during a 9-8 loss to the White Sox on May 17.
The incident was ugly, and Crow-Armstrong admitted his word choice was wrong. But since then, his on-field response has been impossible to ignore.
Pete Crow-Armstrong stats since White Sox fan altercation stand out
As highlighted by Sleeper Cubs, Crow-Armstrong’s post-incident numbers show how quickly he has turned the page from a rough public moment.
Since the altercation, Crow-Armstrong has gone 22-for-68, good for a .310 batting average, with six home runs and 12 RBI. For a player whose glove and speed already made him valuable, that kind of bat changes the conversation.
His June 6 game against the Giants was the loudest example. Crow-Armstrong went 4-for-5 with two home runs, tying the game twice before the Cubs won 3-2 in 10 innings.
Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong turning controversy into production
The altercation happened after Crow-Armstrong missed a play near the wall in the fifth inning against the White Sox, with the exchange going viral soon after.
He later apologized, saying he regretted his choice of words and did not want kids seeing that clip on social media.
The Cubs fined him an undisclosed amount but did not suspend him, which allowed the story to move back toward baseball quickly.
That matters because Crow-Armstrong’s full profile is becoming elite. Through June 6, he was hitting .259 with 11 homers, 32 RBI, 13 steals and a .791 OPS.
The apology still matters, because players have to be smarter with fans. But the baseball answer has been emphatic. Crow-Armstrong is defending like a premium center fielder, running like a weapon and now hitting with impact. That is the shape of one of MLB’s best young players.
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