Pete Crow-Armstrong is headed to his second All-Star Game in as many seasons next week, and the Cubs center fielder has become exactly what Chicago hoped for when it landed him: a dynamic 30/30 threat and an annual Gold Glove contender. That makes the old trade that brought him to Chicago look even bigger in hindsight, and the former Mets executive who made it isn’t ducking it.
Zack Scott, the ex-New York Mets GM, recently addressed the deal that sent Crow-Armstrong to the Cubs while Chicago was still getting an injured but highly regarded prospect. In return, the Mets got a few months of Javier Baez and right-hander Trevor Williams.
Baez gave New York a strong stretch run at the plate, hitting .299/.371/.515, but his time with the Mets also came with the team’s late-season “thumbs down” episode aimed at fans. The Mets went 20-37 from Aug. 1 on, missed the postseason, and Baez left in free agency that winter before signing with the Detroit Tigers on a deal that has not aged well.
Scott, though, said the Crow-Armstrong trade was a mistake born from trying to force a big move in the middle of a pennant race.
“Everyone still brings up the Pete Crow-Armstrong trade. He's a star, and I moved him.
Easy version: I misjudged him. I did. But the real miss is that we were in a pennant race, and the pull to "do something big" moved me off the discipline I'd usually hold.
A better scouting… pic.twitter.com/Mw8fQtXAtd
- Zack Scott (@ZackScottSports) July 8, 2026”
The Mets were 48-40 at the All-Star break that season, then collapsed to 29-45 in the second half. Scott’s admission lands as a reminder of how quickly urgency can override patience when a front office feels pressure to act.
That same tension is hanging over the Cubs now. A loud segment of the fan base wants Jed Hoyer and the front office to swing for a major trade this summer, especially with the rotation battered by injury after injury. Tarik Skubal or Joe Ryan would be the kind of addition that could reshape things in a hurry, but neither would come cheap.
Chicago has talent, but it has also been wildly inconsistent. Going all-in for October would be a real gamble, especially with the state of the farm system and the roster turnover that’s coming this winter. The question for Hoyer is the same one Scott’s experience puts in sharp focus: chase the big splash now, or keep enough flexibility to protect what comes next.
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Pete Crow-Armstrong Trade Is A Warning Cubs Fans Can't Ignore
The Pete Crow-Armstrong trade has become one of those front-office decisions that looks different with time, and former Mets GM Zack Scott recently revisited it with the benefit of hindsight. In explaining the move that sent Crow-Armstrong to Chicago, Scott pointed to the pressure of a pennant race and the urge to chase a playoff push, a context that helps explain why a deal made for immediate help can age so sharply when the postseason run falls short.
For the Cubs, that history lands at an awkward moment. Chicago has roster needs that could tempt the front office toward a major deadline swing, but the Crow-Armstrong reminder cuts both ways: bold moves can solve a present problem, and they can also leave a team staring at what it gave up later. The debate now is whether the Cubs should spend future assets on a big addition or stay disciplined and protect the kind of talent that can change a roster for years. [Read more 🡒]
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The snag is that Minnesota has not fallen out of the race, which makes it harder to imagine the Twins dealing away a pitcher they can still use in their own push. There is also the broader complication hanging over talks, since Ryan remains under control through the 2027 season and uncertainty about a possible work stoppage that year could change how teams value that kind of long-term control. [Read more 🡒]
Owen Ayers Just Made The Cubs Catching Picture A Lot Murkier
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Ayers is reportedly on the verge of a Triple-A promotion after earning his way there with strong offensive showings at High-A and Double-A, and his bat has been the calling card all along. Chicago has spent plenty of attention on the pitching side of the draft too, selecting Cade Townsend in the first round, but Ayers rise is the kind of development that can quietly reshape a roster picture before anyone expects it to. [Read more 🡒]