3 reasons NY Mets fans don’t even think about the Pete Crow-Armstrong trade any more

Pete Crow-Armstrong's 30-30 season in 2025 had thousands of New York Mets fans blasting their franchise for having traded away PCA at the July 2021 deadline. Although Crow-Armstrong's Chicago Cubs career got off to a slow start, he bloomed fully last season on the way to a No. 9 finish in National League MVP voting, and Mets fans universally viewed New York's decision to move on from PCA as an unforgivable mistake.

Zoom ahead to the present day, however, and Mets fans have done a complete 180 on the whole ordeal. They don't pine for PCA much anymore. What happened?

3 reasons why Mets fans don't think negatively about the Pete Crow-Armstrong trade anymore

1. PCA's regression

For one thing, Crow-Armstrong has fallen back to Earth in 2026 after his stunning 2025 campaign. PCA is slashing .224/.314/.362 (much worse than last season), and he's on track to hit just 17 homers this year. He's also striking out at a higher rate than last season. What's more, Crow-Armstrong continues to find himself participating in some unsavory fan interactions.

Had Crow-Armstrong started 2026 red-hot and gotten on track for another MVP-type campaign, he would have more than solidified his status as a superstar in the league, and Mets fans would've had a tough time moving on. That hasn't happened, as PCA has moved in the opposite direction.

2. Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing have been electric

Crow-Armstrong brings electricity to an MLB stadium that is difficult to replicate or replace, but don't sleep on the electric feels that Benge and Ewing provide. Both guys are incredibly athletic outfielders who can hurt you in so many ways, and they've both been undaunted by the MLB spotlight thus far during their first taste of the Show.

Benge's rookie season hasn't been just a few standout moments. He's hitting .242 this year and has been a standout contributor in a lineup full of disappointing contributions from much bigger stars. He has a cannon arm, too.

Ewing's sample size is still small, but he exploded out of the gate and injected excitement into the Mets' fan base during a time when it badly needed it. He's already become a fan-favorite.

3. The Mets have made much worse moves since the PCA trade

Remember when the Mets traded J.D. Davis and three prospects for Darin Ruf, who went on to do absolutely nothing in a Mets uniform except hit .152 and ruin entire lineups with his presence? And what about the completely failed Eduardo Escobar signing from 2022? Mets fans certainly haven't forgotten these terrible decisions, and it's led them to believe that it gets much worse than a PCA trade when it comes to the Steve Cohen era.

There's also the most recent transaction cycle to consider in this regard. Trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien so far looks like it was an awful move. Heck, the Mets could even use some of Jeff McNeil's production right now, especially since Jorge Polanco has provided nothing (and has been out since April 14). So yes, there have been plenty of questionable moves in recent memory that have made the PCA trade seem like a distant memory.

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