MLB postseason frustration boiled over for Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong during an 8-0 loss to the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series.
Crow-Armstrong was visibly upset after being called out on a check swing by third-base umpire Bill Miller in the top of the eighth inning. The 24-year-old center fielder took his bat toward Miller in an apparent attempt to demonstrate that he had not followed through with his swing.
Miller stood by the call and did not eject Crow-Armstrong, who continued to voice his disagreement before returning to the dugout.
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Crow-Armstrong disputes second check-swing call
The eighth-inning call was actually the second time Crow-Armstrong was ruled out on a check swing during the game. Miller made a similar call in the sixth inning, adding to the frustration for the Cubs star.
Despite his objections, the calls stood, and Crow-Armstrong finished the game 0-for-3 with a walk as Chicago struggled to generate offense against San Diego.
The Cubs were held scoreless throughout the game, falling behind in the best-of-three Wild Card Series and putting themselves in a difficult position heading into Game 2.
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MVP-caliber season comes under spotlight
Crow-Armstrong’s frustration came after one of the best seasons of his young career. The 24-year-old enjoyed a spectacular 2026 regular season, tying Kyle Schwarber for the MLB home run lead with 45.
He also finished fourth in the league with 107 RBI and tied Jazz Chisholm Jr. for fourth with 41 stolen bases over 162 games. Crow-Armstrong finished the regular season with a .280 batting average and a .810 OPS, numbers that have placed him firmly in the National League MVP conversation.
Now, however, the focus shifts entirely to the Cubs’ postseason survival.
Chicago and San Diego will meet again Wednesday for Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series. With the Cubs trailing 1-0, another loss would end their season and send the Padres into the next round.
After a frustrating opening game, Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs will need to quickly move past the disputed calls and find a way to generate offense against San Diego’s pitching staff.
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