Pete Crow-Armstrong's daily life as a Chicago Cubs star: adjusting both on and off the field

At the Chicago Cubs spring training today, fans got a look into outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong’s everyday schedule. Amidst his baseball practice sessions, the standout center fielder made time for photo ops, media interviews, and signing autographs.

“Be nice to him,” joked Cubs first baseman Michael Busch as he passed by the team’s training facility terrace. At that moment, Crow-Armstrong was wearing a microphone in front of a makeshift MLB Network set.

Nearby, a young fan wearing a Crow-Armstrong jersey held up a poster saying, “PCA is my hero.” After the TV interview, the outfielder walked over to chat with the boy, signed his autograph, and received a small gift in return.

“You’re my favorite player,” the young fan said. “I know Javy Báez is your favorite, so I brought you one of his baseball cards.”

“Is this for me?” Crow-Armstrong asked, examining the card carefully.

This is the everyday life of a rising baseball star; whenever Crow-Armstrong appears, fans can be heard shouting “Pete! Pete!” from the sidelines of Field No. 1. This morning, his schedule also included meetings with equipment sponsors and tasks for the Cubs’ multimedia team.

Moreover, a quote from a lengthy feature in this week’s Chicago Magazine is being turned into eye-catching social media graphics. While fans chant his name and share his words, Crow-Armstrong continues with defensive drills, base-running meetings, and workouts in the strength room.

Today, expectations for Crow-Armstrong are high both on and off the field.

“Listen,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell, “because of who Pete is and his talent, there will always be very high expectations. It’s a blessing and a curse, right? That’s okay. And I think Pete understands that better than we realize, right?”

“He understands it very, very well. I think he handles it extremely well. It’s part of the package. You talk about people like him all the time.”

The quote that sparked social media buzz and West Coast media attention in the magazine article was Crow-Armstrong’s praise for Chicago’s sports atmosphere. In the process, the California-raised young man and graduate of the prestigious Harvard-Westlake baseball program also playfully teased Dodgers fans.

“I’m falling more in love with Chicago,” Crow-Armstrong said in the article. “It’s an incredible city. The people are amazing. They care. They don’t just go to the stadium to take pictures or do other things like Dodgers fans. They pay attention, they care.”

For the 23-year-old Crow-Armstrong, Dodger Stadium is familiar territory—he visited many times as a kid and played there as a high school star. Meanwhile, the center fielder has come to love playing in front of the packed Wrigley Field crowd and recently experienced the “friendly environment” of October baseball for the first time.

Crow-Armstrong often praises the Cubs fans who fill the stands, and his interactions with the spectators behind center field have created a fun dynamic. He openly expresses that, as long as the Cubs want to keep him, he hopes to stay in Chicago—a sentiment he shared during contract talks that surfaced early last year.

Today, Crow-Armstrong declined to comment further on the magazine quotes. Aside from the light jab at Dodgers fans, which added some spice to the rivalry between two fan bases aiming for the World Series this year, the extensive feature covered many topics surrounding Crow-Armstrong over the past year.

Crow-Armstrong discussed his goal to maintain consistency during what has been an impressive offensive season, becoming the first Cubs player in history with at least 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and 30 doubles in a single season. He talked about growing up as the son of an actor, becoming a Cubs fan, and being traded for one of his favorite players, Báez.

The feature also highlighted Crow-Armstrong’s vibrant personality, style, and speech, showing how he has become a favorite among young Cubs fans. Today at spring training, this was evident again as the center fielder took time during a busy day to brighten at least one child’s day.

Another day under the spotlight.

“For him, the sky’s the limit. I think he can do anything on the baseball field,” said Cubs star Alex Bregman. “As you get older and spend more time in this league, you start to learn and grow mentally, understanding what works and what doesn’t.”

“I think he’s going to have an incredible year, and he’s focused on all the right things.”