Pete Crow-Armstrong was traded by the New York Mets to the Chicago Cubs in 2021 in exchange for Javier Baez and Trevor Williams. Since then, Crow-Armstrong has emerged as a rising star with the Cubs, especially notable during the 2025 season. As the 2026 campaign approaches, the outfielder shared his thoughts on that pivotal trade, emphasizing that he holds no resentment toward the Mets despite his growth into a key player for Chicago.
Understanding Crow-Armstrong’s Perspective on the Trade
Many have speculated that the Mets may regret trading away Crow-Armstrong given his success with the Cubs. However, during a recent appearance on The Old Man and the Three podcast, the soon-to-be 24-year-old expressed understanding about the decision. He acknowledged that neither he nor the Mets could have predicted his rapid development.
“Lucky for me, [the Cubs] assistant GM Jared Banner was my farm director with the Mets,”
Crow-Armstrong said.
“And I guess he made a big push for me. Probably still the best thing to happen to me up to this point in my life, my career, all that stuff… Whose supposed to know I was going to do anything though?”
The player further reflected on the uncertainty that surrounded his early professional career.
“Like, I played six professional games,”
he continued,
“Big risk that the Cubs took. I don’t – I would never blame the Mets at all for making that trade. Like, that was a good roster they had, and [Francisco] Lindor wanted to play with Baez. That made their middle infield really good, but here we are now.”
This stance was emphatically reiterated when Crow-Armstrong said,
“I would never blame the Mets at all for making that trade.”
The statement was featured prominently by The Old Man and the Three Twitter account during the podcast’s release on February 24, 2026.
Crow-Armstrong’s Career Development After the Trade
After the trade, Crow-Armstrong did not make his Major League Baseball debut until 2023, spending two years developing within the Cubs’ system. His first MLB season in 2023 was limited to 13 games, but 2024 marked his true rookie year. He broke out in 2025 with impressive statistics, finishing with a .287 batting average, a .481 on-base percentage, 146 hits, 31 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases.
His performance established him as one of the Cubs’ most valuable players, and he is expected to play a leading role on the team again in 2026.
Mets’ Current Strategy and Outlook for 2026
Meanwhile, the Mets have made significant moves to strengthen their roster for this season. They acquired key players such as Freddy Peralta, Devin Williams, Bo Bichette, and Luis Robert Jr. After missing the playoffs in 2025, New York’s front office is focused on making a strong postseason push in 2026. The trade involving Crow-Armstrong, while beneficial for Chicago, fits into a larger narrative of the Mets’ efforts to assemble a competitive team.
"I would never blame the Mets at all for making that trade" — Pete Crow-Armstrong on the trade that sent him from the Mets to the Cubs 🚨 NEW OM3 WITH PCA + CAM JOHNSON IS LIVE EVERYWHERE pic.twitter.com/MLuTXjtkz1
— TheOldManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) February 24, 2026
