During the fifth inning of the Chicago Cubs' 9-8 extra-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox on May 28, 24-year-old center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong engaged in a verbal exchange with a female White Sox fan after failing to catch a fly ball [1, 2, 3]. The Cubs outfielder used the phrase "suck my f--kin d--k b---h" directed at the fan, according to multiple sources [2, 3, 4].

Crow-Armstrong, in his third MLB season and viewed as an All-Star caliber player, expressed regret the following day about his choice of words and the impact it may have on people, especially women and children who saw the incident on social media. He said, "I think I just regret my choice of words the most, and who that affects in my life directly and indirectly. I don't think that any of the women in my life would ever think that I would use those kinds of words regularly, especially referring to them...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" [1, 3, 4]. Crow-Armstrong also admitted being an intense player who sometimes lets emotions get the best of him [1, 3].

Cubs manager Craig Counsell acknowledged the outfielder's mistake and stated that fan interactions are part of the job. He said, "Pete made a mistake with his choice of words. He's aware of that. And that's it. He made a mistake and we've got to move on from it. It's a reality of this job. Fan interactions happen. You want to try to keep them positive, even when they're not" [1].

Crow-Armstrong was fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for the incident, reported by May 30 [4]. Earlier this season, the outfielder was known for being outspoken, having criticized Dodgers fans for superficial behavior [2].

At the time of the incident, Crow-Armstrong was batting .229 in the 2026 season with 5 home runs and 20 RBIs, down from his .247 average, 31 homers, and 95 RBIs in 2025 [4].

The Cubs will continue the season with Crow-Armstrong expected to return to play following the fine and apology.