Overview
- Zack Scott wrote on X this week that he misjudged Pete Crow‑Armstrong and accepts responsibility for the 2021 trade that sent the prospect to the Cubs, saying the urge to “do something big” during a pennant race overrode his usual discipline.
- Pete Crow‑Armstrong has emerged as one of baseball’s best players in 2026 with about 5.8 fWAR, an All‑Star selection and a Gold Glove while hitting roughly .293/.383/.525 with 19 homers and 23 steals this season.
- The original 2021 deal sent Crow‑Armstrong to Chicago for Javier Báez and Trevor Williams while the Mets led the NL East, but Báez was effectively a two‑month rental who left in free agency and the Mets collapsed to finish well out of the playoffs.
- Scott said the Cubs initially sought right‑hander Matt Allan and that internal factors—Crow‑Armstrong’s prior shoulder surgery, Boston‑influenced scouting bias and a mandate to stay under the Competitive Balance Tax—lowered his valuation at the time.
- The admission and Crow‑Armstrong’s breakout underline a broader lesson for front offices about the tradeoff between short‑term deadline moves and long‑term player value and leave the Mets facing clear opportunity‑cost scrutiny over the 2021 call.