Cubs President Jed Hoyer Speaks Candidly on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Second-Half Decline
Chicago Cubs president Jed Hoyer didn’t sugarcoat his assessment of Pete Crow-Armstrong’s late-season slump, offering a direct and honest take on the young outfielder’s struggles down the stretch of the 2025 MLB season.
Early in the year, Cubs fans had reason to believe the NL MVP race might come down to two of their own—Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong. The duo was red-hot, both excelling at the plate and defensively, helping the Cubs dominate the first half and pull ahead in the NL Central.
By the All-Star break, Crow-Armstrong had racked up 25 home runs, a .846 OPS, and 27 stolen bases, while Tucker boasted a .280 average, .883 OPS, and 17 homers. Both earned All-Star honors and looked primed for monster finishes.
But the second half told a different story—especially for Crow-Armstrong. His offensive numbers dropped significantly, finishing the post-All-Star stretch with a .216 average, .634 OPS, 6 home runs, and just 8 stolen bases. Tucker, who missed time due to injury, also cooled off but not as dramatically.
Hoyer Acknowledges the Dip, But Stresses the Bigger Picture
Addressing reporters on October 15, Hoyer acknowledged Crow-Armstrong’s downturn but emphasized the broader context of a strong overall campaign.
“Overall, [PCA] had a great season. He went 30/30 and nearly drove in 100 runs,” Hoyer said, via Marquee Sports Network. “He started off incredibly strong, then hit a rough patch. This was his first full big-league season, and we talked about that a lot—it’s a grind he hadn’t been through before.”
Hoyer suggested that fatigue may have played a role in the second-half slump and noted areas for improvement.
“He may have worn down a bit. Going forward, he’ll need to tighten up his strike zone and work on refining his approach. But he will—he’s only 23, still learning, and I’m confident he’ll continue to develop.”
Elite Defense Keeps PCA Valuable, Even in a Slump
Despite the offensive dip, Hoyer made it clear that PCA’s defensive value remained elite all season long.
“I think he’s the best defensive player in baseball,” Hoyer said. “Even when he wasn’t hitting, he made a major impact by preventing runs. That alone made him extremely valuable.”
In the end, Hoyer didn’t express major concern about Crow-Armstrong’s second-half regression, a stance echoed by many Cubs fans who remain confident in the young star’s future.
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