Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first Chicago Cub to ever join the 40/40 club. He also won the National League MVP award with every single vote going to him. This result shocked many fans who expected a close race with Shohei Ohtani. The 24-year-old outfielder put together a season that will be talked about for decades. His numbers were so strong that the Baseball Writers’ Association of America could not even split their vote.
Crow-Armstrong finished the year with a .280 batting average and a .570 slugging mark. He hit 45 home runs while stealing 41 bases to complete the rare feat. Bleed Cubbie Blue reported that he also led all of Major League Baseball in runs scored with 119. No other player in the league reached his level of total offense. He topped the National League in slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+ while setting the bar for power and speed.
A Historic Run for Chicago
Chicago has waited a long time for a position player to win this honor. Crow-Armstrong is just the fourth Cub position player in history to post a season with a 9.8 bWAR or better. Fangraphs gave him an even higher mark of 10.6 fWAR for his work. He does not turn 25 until March, which means his best years are still ahead of him. This award marks the first time a Cub has won the MVP since Kris Bryant in 2016.
His patience at the plate grew massively compared to the year before. He walked 83 times, which is nearly three times the 29 walks he had in 2026. The rise in walks helped him drive in runs and get on base for his teammates. He hit 31 doubles and eight triples to add more damage to his game.
More Than Just Numbers
Crow-Armstrong has already climbed the career charts despite his young age. He has hit 86 home runs in his career, which ranks 35th on the Cubs all-time list. His 105 stolen bases also place him 32nd on the franchise record books. According to Bleed Cubbie Blue, he assembled one of the most remarkable single seasons in Cubs franchise history.
The unanimous vote sends a clear message about his dominance across the entire league. Every writer saw his value and agreed that no other player deserved the trophy more. This win cements his legacy as the face of the Chicago Cubs for years to come. Since Kris Bryant claimed the honor in 2016, no other Cub has won the award until Crow-Armstrong.
