Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been dedicated to improving his game, particularly against left-handed pitchers. The team’s All-Star player has focused on this aspect, yielding positive results for him and the Cubs against southpaws this season.

“I think Pete’s improvement against left-handed pitching is significant as to one of the reasons why we’ve improved (against left-handed pitchers),” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before their 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

Crow-Armstrong managed to go 1-for-2 with a hit by pitch against Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore in the series finale. The Cubs quickly took a two-run lead in the first inning as Liberatore faced control issues, leading to walks and hit batters.

The Cubs have excelled against left-handers this season, marking a .776 OPS—the second-best in the major leagues. Crow-Armstrong’s growth against same-sided pitching has considerably benefited the Cubs’ lineup. He is hitting an impressive .286 with a .922 OPS against left-handers this season, significantly better than his .188 and .594 marks in 2025. His improvement stems from moving slightly closer to the plate, enhancing his plate discipline.

Shortstop Dansby Swanson ended the game by catching the final out, securing the 6-4 win for the Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 5, 2026.

“Just his discipline, his ball-strike against left-handed pitching, has been consistent throughout the year,” Counsell stated. “He moved up on the plate, and it’s helped him make better swing decisions.”

Last season, Crow-Armstrong stood 26.9 inches off the plate against left-handers, as recorded by Baseball Savant. This year, he adjusted his distance, standing 27 inches off the plate in April, then moving to 24.4 inches in May and 23.7 inches in June and early July. Although being closer to the plate can expose him to inside pitches, as demonstrated by being hit on his left forearm by a 93.8 mph sinker from Liberatore, Crow-Armstrong continues to adjust and remain in the game after such events.

Despite the risk, Crow-Armstrong believes the adjustment gives him more time to cover the plate against left-handers. His production against them has been a pleasant surprise as he continues to explore his potential. He was named National League player of the month for June, boasting a batting average of .381, 11 home runs, 20 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.

“I know that I’m capable of this kind of production,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s about coming here every day and replicating that production in games.”

The Cubs starter, Javier Assad, benefited from the early lead, allowing him to recover from a difficult second inning. Assad loaded the bases with two outs but then retired ten straight Cardinals, ending the day with 4 2/3 scoreless innings, two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts.

The Cubs bullpen required coverage for 13 outs, encountering trouble in the sixth inning when Jordan Walker hit a three-run home run off Tyler Ferguson to give the Cardinals the lead. However, the Cubs responded in the bottom half by exploiting key errors from St. Louis.

Tied at three, Dansby Swanson hit what could have been a double-play ground ball, which was mishandled by José Fermín. Fermín’s throw went beyond the second baseman, allowing runners to advance and score. A sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Pedro Ramírez led to further scoring after Walker’s throw flew past third and into the Cubs’ dugout.

“We capitalized on mistakes for a significant inning,” Counsell said. “You need the ball in play for mistakes to occur, and we took advantage.”

In other news, Jameson Taillon made a rehab appearance with High-A South Bend, allowing one run on four hits over 3 1/3 innings, throwing 45 pitches.

“The fact that he pitched today is a positive sign for us,” Counsell observed.