Pete Crow-Armstrong was expected to provide Gold Glove defense in center field, speed, power and emotion to the Cubs. Being selective at the plate? Not really.
Well, until this season
Crow-Armstrong extended his on-base streak to 23 games with a walk with two outs in the fourth inning Saturday against the Blue Jays. The walk was Crow-Armstrong’s 28th of the season in his 77th game, one behind his 29 in 157 games last season.
‘‘He’s in swing mode; it’s kind of his thing,’’ manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘Now it is a little bit like he’s learned he can be in swing mode and still not swing. That’s how he should be.’’
The Cubs loaded the bases in the fourth but didn’t score. Regardless, it was an example of what the Cubs want to see from Crow-Armstrong. The aggressiveness is still there — as he proved on his home run on a pitch that was low in the sixth — but Crow-Armstrong is showing he can scale back when necessary.
‘‘The walks are a fun new thing that I’m kind of learning how to take,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. ‘‘I’m going to swing, and I’ll take the walks whenever they come. Just taking pride on getting on first to hopefully set everybody else up to drive people in.’’
Amaya’s emergence
Catcher Miguel Amaya has a challenging job. He is the Cubs’ second choice behind the plate but still is expected to produce when he’s in the lineup.
Amaya walked Saturday and has a .358 on-base percentage, lengthening the Cubs’ lineup on the days Carson Kelly sits. Counsell said he is glad to see it for the team’s sake but also for Amaya’s after his 2025 season was marred by oblique and ankle injuries that limited him to 28 games.
‘‘When you’re playing irregularly, that’s a difficult spot to be productive offensively,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘Miguel’s done an excellent job of producing offensively for us. The getting-on-base part, he’s been really good at that. It’s probably something that’s taken a step forward.’’
Rea of light
Right-hander Colin Rea retired the first 12 Blue Jays he faced until Brandon Valenzuela led off the fifth with a single. Two batters later, Rea threw over to first and Valenzuela was called safe, even though replays showed he was tagged out before getting back to the base. The Cubs didn’t challenge.
Other than that, it was a smooth day with Rea on the mound. He had his first scoreless start of the season and needed only 78 pitches to get 16 outs.
Rea also had no issues with Counsell removing him with two on and one out in the sixth and bringing in left-hander Ryan Rolison to face Nathan Lukes. Rolison got Lukes to hit into a double play to preserve the Cubs’ 3-0 lead.
‘‘[Counsell] has a feel, and he can kind of feel me out when it’s best to go with someone else,’’ Rea said. ‘‘After that, it didn’t work out [for the bullpen]. But in the moment, it was huge.’’
Making moves
The Cubs traded minor-league infielder Cameron Sisneros to the Astros for right-handed pitcher Jayden Murray. Murray, 29, had six saves for Triple-A Sugar Land before being designated for assignment Tuesday.
To free up space on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated minor-league left-hander Luis Peralta for assignment.