Speed kills. Honestly, in modern baseball, where everyone is obsessed with exit velocity and launch angles, we sometimes forget that raw, unadulterated speed can absolutely break a game of baseball. That’s exactly what happened when Pete Crow-Armstrong—the guy everyone just calls PCA—decided to turn a routine gap shot into one of the most electric moments of the Chicago Cubs' 2024 season.
It wasn’t just a hit. It was a statement.
When you watch the footage of the PCA inside the park home run, you aren't just looking at a guy running fast. You're watching a defensive unit lose its collective mind because a human blur is rounding second base before the ball even hits the cutoff man. Most players hit a ball into the right-center gap and think "double." A few think "triple." PCA is probably the only guy in the league who starts thinking "four" before he even touches first.
The Night the Bases Caught Fire
It happened against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. June 19, 2024. The atmosphere was already a bit tense, the kind of mid-summer afternoon where the wind does weird things to fly balls. PCA stepped up in the bottom of the second inning. He didn't crush the ball—not in the traditional sense. It wasn't a 450-foot moonshot that cleared the scoreboard. Instead, he lined a 100.8 mph shot off Erik Miller that found the "triple alley" in right-center field.
Usually, outfielders can contain that. But Mike Yastrzemski and Ramos had a bit of a communication hiccup, and the ball took a treacherous bounce off the brick and ivy.
By the time the ball was being retrieved, PCA was already a ghost.
He hit second base at a sprint speed that Statcast measured at 29.9 feet per second. To put that in perspective, anything over 30 is considered "elite" or "Olympic" level. He was essentially a world-class sprinter wearing cleats and carrying a wooden stick. He didn't slide into home; he basically teleported there. The official time? 14.08 seconds. It was the fastest home run trot—if you can even call it a trot—of the season at that point.
Why the PCA Inside the Park Home Run Changed the Narrative
Before this play, there were legitimate questions about Pete Crow-Armstrong’s bat. Everyone knew he was a defensive wizard. He’s the kind of center fielder who makes "five-star" catches look like he’s playing catch in his backyard. But the hitting? It was streaky. People were worried he might be a "glove-only" prospect.
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Then he did that.
The PCA inside the park home run served as a reminder that speed is a functional offensive tool. You don't have to hit it over the wall to get a home run if you're faster than the defense's ability to relay a ball. It forced opposing pitchers to realize that if he puts the ball on the ground or in the gap, the pressure is immediate. He’s a chaos agent.
Breaking Down the Mechanics of the Dash
If you watch the replay closely, look at his turn at first base. Most players take a wide arc. PCA’s path was incredibly efficient. He took a tight angle, barely clipping the inside corner of the bag.
He didn't hesitate.
- Home to first: Blistering.
- First to second: He actually accelerated.
- Second to third: This is where most runners gunk up. PCA stayed low.
- Third to home: Pure adrenaline.
The third-base coach, Willie Harris, didn't even have to do much. He basically just watched the blur go by. It was the first inside-the-parker by a Cub at Wrigley Field since Javier Báez did it in 2017. And let's be real, comparing anyone’s baserunning flair to Javy Báez is the highest compliment you can give a player in Chicago.
The Statcast Reality Check
Look, we can talk about "grit" and "hustle" all day, but the numbers back up the insanity of this play. According to MLB’s tracking data, Crow-Armstrong reached his top speed within a few strides.
It’s about the "burst."
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The Giants’ outfield didn't even play the ball that poorly. The relay was decent. But when a runner is moving at nearly 30 feet per second, the margin for error for the defense drops to zero. If the outfielder fumbles the ball for even half a second—which happened—it’s over. You're essentially racing a Ferrari on a bicycle.
This play also highlighted a shift in the Cubs' offensive philosophy. They've moved away from the "home run or bust" style of the 2016 era and toward a more athletic, high-pressure brand of baseball. PCA is the poster child for this. He represents a league-wide trend where athleticism is being valued just as much as raw power.
What Most People Get Wrong About Inside-the-Parkers
A lot of fans think an inside-the-park home run is just a "lucky" play where the outfielder falls down. That wasn't the case here. Sure, the ball took a weird kick off the wall, but PCA had to make a conscious decision at second base to risk the out at home.
It’s a gamble.
If he gets thrown out at home by ten feet, the fans are screaming about how he’s "too aggressive" and "doesn't know the game situation." The difference between a highlight-reel PCA inside the park home run and a base-running blunder is about two tenths of a second. Crow-Armstrong has the instinct to know when the defense is on its heels. He saw the hesitation in the outfield and hit the nitrous.
The Impact on the Cubs' Clubhouse
You could see the energy shift in the dugout immediately. When a young kid—remember, he’s still just a rookie in the eyes of many—does something that visceral, it wakes everyone up. Baseball is a long, grinding season of 162 games. It gets boring. It gets repetitive. Then a kid circles the bases in 14 seconds and suddenly the dugout is jumping like it’s the postseason.
The veteran guys like Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ were the first ones out of the dugout. They know how hard it is to do what he did. It’s not just physical; it’s the mental confidence to never stop running.
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The Aftermath and Legacy of the Play
Since that June afternoon, PCA has been a different player. It’s like that home run gave him the "permission" to be the aggressive superstar he was projected to be. He started stealing more bases. He started taking the extra bag on singles. He became the player that second basemen hate to see on the paths because they know he’s going to slide hard and move fast.
It also solidified his spot in the lineup. You can't bench a guy who can manufacture a run out of thin air. Even when he’s 0-for-4, his presence on the bench or in the field matters. But when he’s hitting? He’s arguably the most exciting player in the National League Central.
How to Watch for the Next One
If you want to see another PCA inside the park home run, you have to watch his eyes when the ball hits the gap. Most players look at the ball. PCA looks at the outfielders' body language. If he sees a back turned or a slight stumble, he’s gone.
Keep an eye on his "turn" at second base. That is the graveyard of most inside-the-park attempts. If he rounds it without breaking stride, get your stopwatch out.
The reality is that Pete Crow-Armstrong is a throwback. He plays with a level of intensity that feels like it belongs in the 1980s, but with the physical training of 2026. He is a reminder that the most exciting play in baseball isn't always a ball disappearing into the night sky. Sometimes, it’s a guy in a blue jersey 100% convinced that he can outrun a baseball.
Actionable Insights for Baseball Fans and Analysts:
- Monitor Sprint Speed: Keep an eye on Statcast's "Sprint Speed" leaderboard. PCA consistently ranks in the top 1% of the league. If his speed stays above 29.8 ft/sec, expect more aggressive taking of extra bases.
- Watch the Outfield Depth: When PCA is at bat, notice how the outfielders play. If they play shallow to prevent the single, he has the speed to burn them over the top. If they play deep, he will exploit the space in front of them for triples.
- Evaluate Third-Base Coaching: Follow Willie Harris’s signals. The chemistry between a speedster like PCA and a high-energy coach like Harris is why these plays happen. They have a "green light" system that is rarely seen in the modern game.
- Focus on the "Turn": In your own analysis or youth coaching, study PCA's pathing. He minimizes distance by taking the most efficient route possible around the diamond, a skill that is often untaught but highly effective.
PCA didn't just hit a home run. He redefined what a scoring threat looks like for the Chicago Cubs. In a game of inches, he’s playing in yards.