The New York Mets traded Pete Crow-Armstrong to the Chicago Cubs back in 2021 in exchange for Javier Baez and Trevor Williams. Since then, Crow-Armstrong has developed his game and become an emerging superstar for Chicago last season. Leading up to the 2026 campaign, Crow-Armstrong opened up about that trade back in 2021.
Some believe that due to PCA's emergence as a superstar, the Mets have to be kicking themselves for trading him away. However, while guest appearing on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast, the soon-to-be 24-year-old outfielder admitted that he doesn't blame New York for trading him away one bit. He himself didn't know he would become such a great talent for the Cubs.
“Lucky for me, [the Cubs] assistant GM Jared Banner was my farm director with the Mets,” said Pete Crow-Armstrong. “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?
“Like, I played six professional games,” continued Crow-Armstrong. “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.”
"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
Pete Crow-Armstrong didn't make his MLB debut until 2023, two years after the Mets traded him away to the Cubs. And even then, he only played in 13 games that season. 2024 was his true rookie year, and 2025 was his breakout season. Crow-Armstrong ended last season with a .287 batting average and .481 OBP while recording 146 hits, 31 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases.
He is expected to be one of the premier players on the Cubs roster this season once again. As for the Mets, the front office made some big moves in acquiring Freddy Peralta, Devin Williams, Bo Bichette, and Luis Robert Jr in the offseason. After failing to reach the playoffs in 2025, New York is going all-in on contending for the postseason in 2026.
