Inside The Cubs

Chicago Cubs Rookie Has Insane Reaction After Teammate's Grand Slam

The Chicago Cubs rookie was fired up after his teammate hit a go-ahead grand slam.

Dylan Sanders

Jul 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second base Nico Hoerner (2) is is doused by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (52) after a bases loaded walk to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in extra innings at Wrigley Field.
Jul 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second base Nico Hoerner (2) is is doused by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (52) after a bases loaded walk to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in extra innings at Wrigley Field. / Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
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The Chicago Cubs have a high-energy rookie in the dugout and he made himself known once again on Saturday afternoon.

Pete Crow-Armstrong's playstyle can be best described as "shot out of a cannon."

Now, the same can be said of his presence in the dugout, as he had a notable reaction to Patrick Wisdom's go-ahead grand slam against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

The home run couldn't have come at a better time as the Cubs were down 4-3 on the seventh inning when the slugger came in to pinch-hit in place of Crow-Armstrong. The slam put Chicago three runs ahead of the Royals as they would go on to win 9-4 and snap a three-game losing streak.

Crow-Armstrong's reaction being so energetic, despite it coming in sacrifice of him having another at-bat, shows his value as a teammate. He had an eventful day overall as he went 1-for-2 with a triple and would eventually be driven home by Michael Busch.

The rookie has been struggling at the plate, but is willing to do whatever is needed for Chicago to win games.

He is now slashing .183/.233/.306 on the year after showcasing his wheels.

Crow Armstrong's speed has been crucial to his offensive value with 18 stolen bases across 66 games. It has also made him an incredibly effective defender in center field, which has kept him in the lineup despite his struggles.

The 22-year-old has never been considered to be an elite prospect at the plate, but has maintained an OPS in the .800s in the minor leagues.

If he can at least become a guy who can get into the .700s while finding some of the power that he's had in the past, the Cubs will be very happy. He had his first 20-20 season between Double and Triple-A last season.

Chicago's front office still doesn't know exactly what to do with him as he develops.

The California native made his MLB debut in 2023, but went hitless over 13 games. Clearly not ready to bat at the Major League level, he was a roster bubble guy who didn't make the Opening Day roster at the start of the season.

It didn't take long for him to get the call to The Show, though, as he was up by the end of April. After struggling, the Cubs sent him back down to Triple-A.

Crow-Armstrong is back and still not playing at a great level, but it seems like they'll let him figure out Major League pitching by getting in-game reps.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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