The Cubs and Pete Crow-Armstrong have played 65 games this season. It’s not even the middle of June, and the Cubs have had two 10-game winning streaks and a 10-game skid and have gone from a team that looked like a World Series contender to one trying to stay in the National League playoff race.
Crow-Armstrong’s season hasn’t been any calmer, and it took another turn in the Cubs’ 3-2, 10-inning victory Saturday against the Giants.
Once again leading off, Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs. Both tied the score, and the second came with two outs in the ninth inning in front of a previously restless crowd of 39,248. He had four hits for the second time this season and has hit homers in three of his last four games.
‘‘It’s, like, don’t miss a pitch [when Crow-Armstrong is hitting],’’ manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘It’s incredible, really.’’
That also might describe Crow-Armstrong’s highs and lows.
In late March, he agreed to a six-year, $115 million extension, locking him up through the 2032 season. Already a fan favorite because of his daring style and personality, the deal solidified his place in the Cubs’ long-term plans.
That same verve, however, hasn’t necessarily endeared him to everybody. The best example is what happened in May at Rate Field, when a White Sox fan planned her engagement party around the opportunity to heckle Crow-Armstrong in center field. After missing a chance for a leaping play against the wall, he was taunted by the fan and responded profanely in a moment that quickly went viral.
Crow-Armstrong also has been on the wrong end of other highlight-reel moments. The latest was Thursday, when he lost a fly ball by the Athletics’ Shea Langeliers in the lights, leading to an inside-the-park homer.
Yet through all of that, Crow-Armstrong is still the Cubs’ player with the highest ceiling. He recovered from the miscue Thursday with a homer and the game-winning hit to beat the A’s, entered play Saturday at 3.0 wins above replacement (by Baseball Reference) and left with a .343 on-base percentage.
‘‘I’m growing up in the middle of all of it,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. ‘‘Contrary to what a lot of people probably believe, I am getting better for all the downs and the ups, as well. I feel like I have 100 more games left, and I’m really excited for it.’’
First baseman Michael Busch, whose locker is next to Crow-Armstrong’s in the Cubs’ clubhouse, said the outfielder is handling his topsy-turvy season ‘‘as well as you can.’’
‘‘Pete, along with everybody in this room — the ability to handle some of that stuff is one of my favorite parts about this group,’’ said Busch, whose 10th-inning single led to pinch runner Dansby Swanson scoring the winning run after Giants right fielder Victor Bericoto overran the ball. ‘‘Just the ability to know himself and rely on some of his past experiences — last year, he kind of went through ups and downs — and kind of work through some of those things this year is a solid reason as to why he’s doing the things that he’s doing right now.’’
What Crow-Armstrong is doing is giving a sputtering team a chance. The Cubs missed opportunities before Crow-Armstrong’s second homer and were an out away from falling to one game above .500 and losing back-to-back games to a bad Giants team.
But Crow-Armstrong turned on the first pitch he saw from Keaton Winn, hitting it 403 feet and adding another wrinkle to a 65-game season that has felt like many more.
‘‘Pete’s improving,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘That’s all I want. That’s all I’m after. That’s going to stay like that. Keep getting better.’’