PCA’s 30-30 Breakout Skyrockets Extension Price; Will Cubs Pay $170M+ for Their New Star?.vc

After a 2025 season that put him in the 30-30 club and won him a Gold Glove, the Cubs’ previously reported $75M offer is obsolete. But are his offensive “red flags” too risky for a $170M+ deal?

CHICAGO — Whatever the Chicago Cubs do in 2026, and however far they go, will partially ride on the shoulders of Pete Crow-Armstrong.

That might sound unfair to an outfielder who only turns 24 next March, but such is the reality when you join the 30-30 club, earn All-Star honors, win a Gold Glove, and lead the Cubs to their first playoff appearance in five years.

After just two full seasons, PCA has positioned himself to cash in. Now, with the MLB offseason in full swing, the Cubs’ front office faces a complex and high-stakes decision: lock up their new superstar long-term or wait and see if his 2025 breakout was real.

The $75M Offer That Is No Longer Relevant

The Cubs, who can buy out PCA’s arbitration years, have tried this before. MLB Network insider Mark Feinsand reported in April 2025—before his 30-30 explosion—that the Cubs had approached Crow-Armstrong about an extension worth roughly $75 million.

Obviously, no deal was reached. After his impressive 2025 campaign, that $75 million offer is no longer a starting point; it’s a distant memory. The price has “skyrocketed.”

[Video placeholder: Wrigley Field was ready to erupt 🔥 PCA made it happen 💪 — MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2025]

The New Price: Finding a “Realistic” Comparable

So, what could a Pete Crow-Armstrong extension realistically look like now?

For the sake of conversation, look at the eight-year, $106.75 million extension Bryan Reynolds signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in April 2023. At the time, Reynolds was 28 years old and had posted an .842 OPS with 13.7 bWAR over his first four seasons.

Crow-Armstrong has youth on his side (turning 24) and is fresh off a 6.0 bWAR, 30-30, Gold Glove season. This performance alone suggests his deal should far exceed Reynolds’.

The “Red Flags” Giving the Cubs Pause

But there’s a catch. Despite the flashy numbers, Crow-Armstrong has underlying “red flags” in his offensive game, specifically his plate discipline:

• PCA (Career): 24.2% Strikeout Rate, 4.9% Walk Rate
• Reynolds (at signing): 21.7% Strikeout Rate, 9.8% Walk Rate

Reynolds’ plate discipline was significantly better, and he had a longer, 2,014-plate-appearance track record. The Cubs must now decide if they believe PCA can improve his “major concerns” at the plate.

The Verdict: A $170M+ Gamble

Assuming the Cubs believe PCA can improve, an extension along the lines of eight years and $170 million doesn’t sound unrealistic.

There is a massive difference between the $75 million offered in April and a new $170 million deal. Some might even argue that doubling the original offer to $150 million would be an “underpay.”

The Cubs’ front office is in an unenviable position. The most prudent move might be to hold off on any further contract talks until next summer, at the earliest. They need to see whether Crow-Armstrong’s 2025 campaign is truly a sign of things to come, or if those offensive red flags grow into major concerns.