Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong makes another mistake on defense

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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 during Wednesday night's 5-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He also had a heated exchange with a fan during Sunday's 9-8 loss to the crosstown Chicago White Sox.

Still wearing his full uniform long after the Cubs' ninth loss in 11 games, Crow-Armstrong called the pair of defensive miscues “genuinely laughable.”

“I think one thing that I can fall back on is that it's never really a lack of focus, but trying too hard and trying to make up for the lack of production that I've given this team and this city and, you know, not acting how I should," he said.

“I think anything physical usually starts mental, and I think that's just what I'm showing everybody right now.”

Crow-Armstrong also went 0 for 3 at the plate with two strikeouts. He is batting .197 with 16 strikeouts in 19 games this month.

The slumping Cubs are off Thursday before beginning a three-game series against Houston on Friday. Asked if he was considering a reset for Crow-Armstrong beyond the off day, manager Craig Counsell said no.

Milwaukee had runners on first and second with one out in the second inning Wednesday 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.

“Look, he made a mistake,” Counsell said. “He made a bad play, and it was a costly play. He missed the ball in front of him.”

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.

“I just show up and keep pushing, but that can't happen, that kind of stuff,” he said. “That just can't happen.”

Crow-Armstrong 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. He was fined by Major League Baseball, according to a person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the punishment wasn't announced by the league.

“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.

“I'm not worried at all about him,” Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman said. “Every single day he shows up and gets after it. I know what he puts into the game, offensively, defensively, the kind of mentality that he has. He's a guy that you want on your team in big games.”

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