MLB insider reveals what Cubs will need to pay to extend Pete Crow-Armstrong

Almost from opening day, Chicago Cubs fans have focused on speculating on whether Kyle Tucker could sign an extension with the club and play in Wrigley Field long-term. However, now that the season is full-on and Pete Crow-Armstrong is having an even better season than most people could have reasonably expected, he, too, is someone fans want the Cubs to lock down long-term.

The added degree of difficulty is that the club did try to sign the speedy outfielder to an extension, with a healthy home team discount. However, Crow-Armstrong bet on himself when he was still struggling, and that might have been a jackpot. After turning down a reported contract offer that would have paid him somewhere in the neighborhood of $75 million, his price tag has gone up a ton.

Insider drops price tag Cubs may need to meet for Pete Crow-Armstrong extension

MLB Insider Jon Heyman appeared on the Mully & Haugh show earlier this week and gave his opinion on what a potential Chicago Cubs extension could look like now:

“We're not talking about enormous bucks. I mean, this isn't a Tucker situation. We're talking about a guy with a bunch of arb years to go,” the baseball writer said. “And you know, he may not sign long into his free agency, but you've got to sign him and get at least one year into free agency. And hopefully two years.”

Heyman added that the Cubs have been watching and understand that not only is he a very good player, but it’s imperative they get a deal done. He also believes they’ve been working on it. 

“That said, it's going to be that much more difficult,” the insider said. “While he probably or might have signed, I'm guessing now, if he might have signed for $90 million earlier, maybe it would be $140 million now, something. The price is going up exponentially based on his play.”

The degree of difficulty here is that Jed Hoyer is not someone who loves to talk extension at all during the season. He might have to go against his nature, considering there is now not one, but two Chicago Cubs outfielders who need to be locked up long term, with both price tags only going up as 2025 goes on.