Cubs CF Pete Crow-Armstrong joins elite Ryne Sandberg club in Cardinals game

All season, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s glove has already put him in the conversation for one of the best defensive seasons baseball has ever seen. On Sunday in St. Louis, his speed put him alongside a Chicago Cubs legend.

With a stolen base in the Cubs’ 3-2 loss to the Cardinals, the 23-year-old center fielder became the first Cub with 30 or more steals in a season at his age since Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg in 1983. Crow-Armstrong also went 1-for-3 at the plate, snapping a recent dry spell.

It’s been a challenging August offensively for the rookie, who has just three hits in nine games this month, along with 13 strikeouts and no walks. Even so, his season numbers remain strong: a .259/.296/.527 slash line with 27 home runs, 78 RBIs, 74 runs scored, and now 30 steals in 115 games. His combination of power and speed has him flirting with a 30/30 campaign — something no Cub has done in decades.

While his bat has cooled, Crow-Armstrong’s defense continues to redefine elite. He leads all outfielders in Statcast’s Outs Above Average with +18, already tied for the 10th-best outfield season since tracking began in 2016. He’s within striking distance of Billy Hamilton’s +22 in 2016 and Byron Buxton’s record +27 in 2017.

Cubs young Center Fielder continues to shine

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Perhaps most impressive, Crow-Armstrong has shattered the single-season mark for most 5-Star catches — the toughest plays with a catch probability of 25% or less — with 14 already, breaking the previous record of 12 set by Buxton and Hamilton. To put that in perspective, outfielders collectively convert only about 7% of such chances. Crow-Armstrong has converted an absurd 53% of his 5-Star opportunities, far ahead of the next-best mark (37% by Jose Siri).

His ability to make the spectacular look routine often hides just how difficult the plays are. Advanced metrics show jumps 10 to 15 feet better than average, allowing him to reach balls most outfielders can’t touch. Whether it’s fully laying out to rob Masyn Winn on July 4 or covering 107 feet into the wall to take away extra bases from Alex Call in June, Crow-Armstrong’s defensive instincts and closing speed are unmatched in the modern game.

The Cubs nearly paired his milestone with a series win, but the Cardinals had the final say. Matt Shaw’s two-run homer in the fifth tied the game at 2-2, marking his third blast in four games, but St. Louis broke the tie in the seventh when Jordan Walker singled, stole second, and scored on Nolan Gorman’s base hit. Chicago threatened in the ninth, putting two on, but Jon Berti was called out on a close stolen-base attempt before Shaw’s groundout ended it.

Despite the loss, Crow-Armstrong’s season remains a blend of historic defense and developing offensive potential. If his bat rebounds down the stretch, he could finish 2025 not only as the Cubs’ first 30/30 player in decades but also as the owner of the best defensive outfield season ever recorded.