MILWAUKEE — Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is back in the majors after going on a tear during a brief minor league assignment.
The Cubs announced before their Thursday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers that they had recalled Crow-Armstrong and optioned infielder Luis Vázquez to Triple-A Iowa.
Crow-Armstrong, 22, is regarded as an outstanding defender and one of the Cubs’ top prospects. He has batted .236 with a .295 on-base percentage, one homer, nine RBIs and five steals in 23 games with Chicago this season.
After getting sent to the minors, Crow-Armstrong heated up at Iowa. He was named the International League player of the week for the period of May 21-26 after going 12-of-27 with three homers, 10 runs, four doubles, seven RBIs and five steals during a six-game series with Indianapolis.
“He certainly had a good 10-game stretch, 10-day stretch,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.
For the season, Crow-Armstrong has batted .255 with a .299 on-base percentage, five homers, 14 RBIs and 10 steals in 26 games with Iowa.
Crow-Armstrong was in the Cubs’ starting lineup batting eighth and playing center field Thursday. Counsell stopped short of committing to Crow-Armstrong as the Cubs’ primary center fielder and noted that “I think Pete has to earn playing time.”
“There’s going to be days when Pete doesn’t play,” Counsell said. “We obviously brought Pete to be a part of this and I think it gives us some more choices kind of throughout the game. That will evolve.”
Counsell said Crow-Armstrong’s return meant that Cody Bellinger could play some different positions at times. Bellinger made his sixth start at DH on Thursday. Bellinger also has started 35 games at center field and one each at right field and first base this year.