MESA, Ariz. — Earlier this week, Pete Crow-Armstrong joined Dansby Swanson and Nicky Lopez to shoot some hoops around the agility field at Sloan Park.

It’s a daily occurrence — players will put some shots up or showcase their moves before beginning their day’s work.

The trio were doing just that when a fourth person joined them — Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

“Jed is really good about coming down and — for lack of better terms — being one of the guys,” Crow-Armstrong said. “So, I’ve appreciated his openness to my shenanigans and the hair and all that stuff, so I’ve appreciated the relationship.”

[WATCH: Pete Crow-Armstrong shares the story behind his jersey number change]

Hoyer had some fun with his center fielder.

“He was like, kind of talking some crap, like, ‘Hey, you’re wearing a lineman’s number and all this stuff,” Crow-Armstrong said.

So Hoyer had an offer — if he sunk his shot, he needed to swap out his no. 52 on the back of his jersey. He “needed a fast guy number”, as Hoyer had said.

Crow-Armstrong liked his number — “I felt sentimental towards [no. 52] and I love that that was my debut number.”

But he also understands hierarchy.

“I wasn’t gonna say no to the boss, so I went with it and he sunk it,” Crow-Armstrong said. “And for a little while here, it’s been like, is he being for real?”

Hoyer was serious. But there were more intricacies than just going up to Danny Mueller or someone else on the equipment staff and asking for a new number because the league gets involved in those sorts of decisions.

But over the next few days, Crow-Armstrong was thinking about what he could swap to — and what quantifies as “a fast guy number”.

“I think [Hoyer] was thinking single digits,” Crow-Armstrong said. “[No.] 1 was getting thrown around because [Nick Madrigal] was [no.] 1 last year, but I’m not a no. 1 guy. I never loved that number — I would do double zero before I did [no.] 1.”

There weren’t too many other single digits available — 2 (Nico Hoerner), 5 (Jon Berti), 6 (Nicky Lopez), 7 (Dansby Swanson), 8 (Ian Happ) and 9 (Miguel Amaya were all taken.

Then, Thursday, the Cubs made the Justin Turner (3) signing official and Alexander Canario was designated for assignment, presenting a new option: no. 4. It wasn’t an easy decision for Crow-Armstrong, though, because he was close with Canario and considers him a friend. But eventually, he chose the number, and Friday had a jersey at his locker in the Cubs’ clubhouse with no. 4 emblazoned on it.

“I guess a fast guy number looks like [no.] 4,” Crow-Armstrong said. “So I’m rocking with the [Ohio State wide receiver] Jeremiah Smith comparison because he’s doing pretty good for himself right now.”

That number has some sentimentality to it, too. Crow-Armstrong rocked that number in Little League growing up in different variations — 4, 34 and 44 as a nod to his favorite players like Anthony Rizzo and Bryce Harper.

He does have a message to fans who have purchased a no. 52 Crow-Armstrong jersey.

“Now, I’m making everybody go switch it up,” Crow-Armstrong said. “So, I’m going to apologize to everybody personally.”

If they want, fans can blame Hoyer for his slick shot on the court, too.