​Baseball history is full of regrettable trades, and even in today’s era of smarter general managers with unprecedented access to data, missteps still happen. One move that continues to haunt the New York Mets is the trade executed by acting GM Zack Scott during the 2021 season. At the trade deadline, Scott sent Pete Crow-Armstrong, then a top prospect and a first-round pick, to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Javier Báez, Trevor Williams, and cash.
The consequences proved severe for the Mets. They faded down the stretch, finishing eight games below .500 and missing the playoffs. Báez delivered solid production while he was with the club, but he departed that offseason after signing a lucrative contract with the Detroit Tigers. Williams provided a dependable arm through the end of 2022, yet he didn’t become the difference-maker a pennant race would have required.
Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong blossomed into a star for the Cubs. He earned an All-Star selection last year and currently leads the majors in WAR, signaling a bright future. At just 24 years old and signed through 2032, he projects to remain a cornerstone for Chicago for years to come. By comparison, New York accumulated only 3.6 WAR from the trade, while Chicago has tallied 13.5 WAR and counting from Crow-Armstrong.
Scott later addressed the trade publicly, reflecting on the decision. “Everyone still brings up the Pete Crow-Armstrong trade. He’s a star, and I moved him. Easy version: I misjudged him. I did,” he wrote on X this week. “But the real miss is that we were in a pennant race, and the pull to ‘do something big’ moved me off the discipline I’d usually hold. A better scouting report doesn’t fix that. Building the decision so the urge to act doesn’t set the terms does. I own it.”
Like many executives, Scott faced the pressure of a pennant race and opted for a swing-for-the-fences approach, a mode that often leads to short-term gains and long-term regrets. He acknowledges that he misjudged Crow-Armstrong’s potential and concedes that trading him for a rental player was the wrong call. Hindsight, as the saying goes, is 20/20, and Scott’s point rings true: splurging on rental players can haunt a franchise for years, especially when the prospect involved grows into a foundational piece for the rival.
For Cubs fans, Crow-Armstrong’s ascent reinforces the cost of the Mets’ decision. New York’s 3.6 WAR from the trade versus Chicago’s 13.5 WAR from Crow-Armstrong illustrates the stark disparity in outcomes. The episode serves as a cautionary tale about the temptations of making bold moves in the heat of competition and the enduring importance of patient, disciplined scouting and decision-making.
If you’re wondering how this ongoing narrative fits into a broader Mets conversation, you’re not alone. The trade remains a talking point among fans and analysts who study team-building strategies, evaluate risk versus reward, and debate the balance between pursuing immediate contention and cultivating long-term strength. As the Cubs continue to benefit from Crow-Armstrong’s trajectory, Mets enthusiasts and community members alike may reflect on how front-office decisions shape a franchise’s competitive arc for years to come. For more on this topic, discussions about potential reunions or strategic changes at the trade deadline continue to circulate in MLB commentary and coverage.