CHICAGO (AP) — Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is having a difficult week.
Crow-Armstrong made an ugly defensive mistake for the second straight day on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. He also had a heated exchange with a fan during Sunday's 9-8 loss to the crosstown Chicago White Sox.
Milwaukee had runners on first and second with one out in the second inning of the series finale when David Hamilton hit a liner up the middle.
The ball went under Crow-Armstrong's glove and rolled toward the warning track.
Hamilton picked up speed as he rounded first and scored with a headfirst slide, giving the Brewers a 3-0 lead. It was ruled a single for Hamilton and Crow-Armstrong's third error of the season.
Crow-Armstrong also dropped Sal Frelick's leadoff flyball in the fourth during Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Brewers. Frelick advanced on Hamilton's single, but was stranded when Ben Brown wiggled out of the jam.
The 24-year-old Crow-Armstrong is widely regarded as one of baseball's best defensive outfielders. He won his first Gold Glove last year.
He was playing center on Sunday against the White Sox when he was heckled by a woman after he came up empty on an attempt for a leaping catch. He responded with a vulgar message punctuated by an expletive.
He said Monday he regretted his choice of words during the exchange with the fan.
“I’m just bummed out about the word choice, and that a bunch of little kids go and probably find their way to social media and see that as well,” he said.
Crow-Armstrong is one of Chicago’s biggest stars after hitting .247 with a career-high 31 homers and 95 RBIs last season. He agreed to a $115 million, six-year contract in March.
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