The Chicago Cubs have been in their biggest funk of the season as of late. After being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs have lost their past five games and nine of their past 11. This slump comes after Chicago won 10 consecutive contests.
Some of Chicago’s recent woes have fallen on the shoulders of star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. In the past two games, Crow-Armstrong, who was an All-Star selection and Gold Glove winner last year, made a pair of uncharacteristic miscues in the field.
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On Tuesday, he dropped a routine fly ball that allowed a Brewers player to reach second base to lead off the fourth inning, and in Wednesday’s game, he let a ground ball go under his glove, which turned a single into three runners coming across to score.
The 24-year-old outfielder had usually been a very sure hand in the field for the Cubs, making just five errors in 288 games in center field, but his defense has let him down in the past two days amid Chicago’s struggles to win games.
After Wednesday’s game, Crow-Armstrong spoke to reporters about his second consecutive game with an error.
“Yesterday and today are genuinely laughable,” he said, according to ESPN reporter Jesse Rogers.
While his play in the field has taken a turn for the worse, Crow-Armstrong’s numbers at the plate have also dropped this season. After taking an 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts on Wednesday, his batting average has dipped to .225, as he has hit five homers with 20 RBIs.
He and the rest of the Cubs have a day off on Thursday to regroup before beginning a series at home against the Houston Astros on Friday. First pitch in the series opener is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Apple TV.
