The Chicago Cubs are counting their blessings that they have Pete Crow-Armstrong. On Thursday, Crow-Armstrong joined the exclusive 40/40 club.

Longtime baseball journalist Bob Nightingale did a little digging, per USA Today. He found a stark juxtaposition between Crow-Armstrong and former Cubs infielder Javier Baez. Altogether, Nightingale found that the numbers showed a difference between the two since Baez was traded to the Mets in 2021.

Since July 2021, Baez has hit 56 home runs and stolen 40 bases in 590 games.

Javier Baez, who was traded from the Cubs to the Mets for Pete Crow-Armstrong, since July, 2021:
In Baez's 5 1/2 years since the trade: 56 homers and 40 stolen bases in 590 games. https://t.co/fnTGUUgEYH

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 24, 2026

Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong has accumulated a .255 batting average with 407 hits, 259 runs, 86 home runs, and 250 RBIs. Crow-Armstrong also has the MVP award in sight.

Baez played for the Cubs from 2014 to 2021. In 2016, he was the NLCS co-MVP as the Cubs went on to win the World Series for the first time since 1908. Additionally, Baez became a two-time MLB All-Star and won the 2020 Gold Glove Award.

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Afterward, Baez only played one season with the Mets. He batted .299 with 9 home runs and 22 RBIs. Then, he became a free agent before signing a six-year deal with the Detroit Tigers.

Baez is batting .235 with 43 hits, 3 home runs, 19 RBIs, and 25 runs scored this season.

Meanwhile, the Cubs are trying to secure a playoff spot in a competitive NL Wild Card race with the Padres and Phillies. Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong has emerged as one of the league's most exciting players.

His energy and confidence has rubbed off on the baseball world, making him a hot commodity now and perhaps in the years ahead.

So it turns out, the deal was absolutely worth it.