Pete Crow-Armstrong Says Cubs Are 'Built For the Weird S--t' After Clinching 2026 MLB Bracket Spot

The Chicago Cubs clinched a playoff spot with Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins, and Pete Crow-Armstrong believes the team's ability to handle adversity throughout the campaign could help in the postseason.

"We're built for this weird s--t," he said, per Cubs insider Tony Andracki.

Much of the adversity Chicago has faced this season has come on the pitching side of things.

Ace Cade Horton was lost for the rest of the campaign in April because of Tommy John surgery, which was particularly difficult since fellow starting pitcher Justin Steele underwent the same surgery last season and is yet to pitch at the major league level in 2026.

What's more, Ben Brown was lost for the season with a neck injury while other pitchers such as Matthew Boyd and Edward Cabrera have been sidelined at times this year. The absence of Horton, Steele and Brown leaves the Cubs without arguably their best three starting options.

The injuries also became a problem in the bullpen with players such as Daniel Palencia, Phil Maton, Riley Martin and Hunter Harvey all hurt at times.

Fortunately for the Cubs, Crow-Armstrong and the rest of the offense has picked up the slack and actually leads the league in runs scored. Throw in a defense that is the best in baseball by a significant margin according to Baseball Savant's Fielding Run Value total, and the National League Central team was able to overcome the pitching concerns.

Marlins vs. Cubs (09/24/2026)

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Still, there is more adversity hovering over the club with just three games remaining in the regular season.

Alex Bregman is dealing with multiple facial fractures after he was struck by a foul ball in the on-deck circle, leaving his overall status uncertain heading into the playoffs. Bregman has been Chicago's second-best offensive player behind Crow-Armstrong since the All-Star break and likely needs to be in the lineup if the team is going to make a postseason run.

But Crow-Armstrong believes all that adversity will make the team stronger in the end, and he and his teammates will have a chance to prove it in the playoffs.