This was one of the most expected award results of the 2026 MLB season.
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong put together not only an MVP-caliber season, but one of the greatest single seasons in Cubs franchise history.
To review the numbers: .280/.372/.570 (175-for-626) with 31 doubles, eight triples, 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases, becoming the first Cub to join the 40/40 club. He also walked 83 times, nearly tripling the 29 he had in 2026. He led the NL in SLG, OPS and OPS+ and led all of MLB
in runs (119), home runs and total bases (357). He is just the fourth Cub position player ever to have a 9.8 bWAR season or better (also Ron Santo, 9.8 in 1967; Ernie Banks, 10.2 in 1959; Sammy Sosa, 10.3 in 2001; and Rogers Hornsby, 10.6 in 1929). Fangraphs had PCA at 10.6 fWAR.
For all of this and more, PCA was today named, unanimously, National League Most Valuable Player. He’s the first Cub to win the award since Kris Bryant in 2016. In addition to those two, here are the other Cubs who have been named NL MVP:
1911: Frank Schulte
1929: Rogers Hornsby
1930: Hack Wilson
1935: Gabby Hartnett
1945: Phil Cavarretta
1952: Hank Sauer
1958: Ernie Banks
1959: Ernie Banks
1984: Ryne Sandberg
1987: Andre Dawson
1998: Sammy Sosa
What’s most remarkable about PCA’s season is that he got off to a mediocre start. After going 0-for-3 against the Brewers May 20, he was batting .225/.302/.357 with five home runs in 50 games. Over his final 112 games, he batted .302/.400/.658 (134-for-444) with 26 doubles, six triples, 40 home runs, 87 RBI, 29 stolen bases, 93 runs scored and 68 walks. Those numbers alone might have won him MVP — and that’s only two-thirds of a season.
PCA doesn’t turn 25 until March. He’s hit 86 home runs, good for 35th on the Cubs career list. If he hits 40 in 2027, that would put him in the top 20. He has 105 stolen bases, which ranks 32nd. Another 40-steal year would move him up to 22nd. A healthy and productive PCA over the next few years would likely make him one of the greatest Cubs ever.
There are so many highlights to PCA’s season that it’s hard to pick just one that sums him up, but I’d like to nominate what he did in the 3-2, 10-inning win over the Blue Jays Aug. 6. After Alex Bregman tied that game up 2-2 with two out in the bottom of the ninth and no one scored in the 10th, PCA led off the 11th with a single, but placed runner Carson Kelly was thrown out at the plate. PCA took second on the throw and immediately took off for third. You know what happened next [VIDEO].
That, I think, sums up everything PCA is. He read the situation, didn’t hesitate, drew a wild throw and won the game.
There is, obviously, a lot more to his game than that — power and defense in particular. Here are 25 minutes worth of highlights from his MVP season.
Congratulations to Pete Crow-Armstrong. May this MVP award be the first of many. Here’s the BBWAA vote for NL MVP.
