How’s this for an exclamation point on an MVP candidacy?
Pete Crow-Armstrong has a 40-40 season.
He stole his 40th base of the season in the first inning of Thursday afternoon’s game against the Marlins, clinching the seventh 40-homer, 40-steal campaign in baseball history, a feat that puts the Cubs’ superstar center fielder in one of the game’s most exclusive clubs.
“There are only so many guys in the game that can even think about accomplishing it,” team president Jed Hoyer said Tuesday. “It’s the best position-player season I’ve ever seen in my career. He’s going to win the MVP. He’s going to win the Hank Aaron Award. He’s going to win the Platinum Glove.
“It’s a special season.”
Crow-Armstrong didn’t need to do this to win the NL MVP race he’s been in control of for the last couple months, but it’s likely to be the first line on his resume as he joins the distinctive half dozen to achieve the feat previously: Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Alfonso Soriano (2006), Ronald Acuna Jr. (2023) and Shohei Ohtani (2024).
That’s the complete list, showing that even the recency of Acuna and Ohtani gaining membership in the 40-40 club doesn’t ding the rarity of the feat.
The Wrigley Field crowd certainly appreciated the magnitude of the moment, raining “M-V-P” chants down on Crow-Armstrong as he saluted them from second base.
A tip of the cap from PCA to the fans at Wrigley Field 👏 pic.twitter.com/uZDXI0VH1E
— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2026
“Everything Pete has done this year has been really incredible,” manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday. “That’s a milestone, but we’ve seen it all already this year. The [fans] here have celebrated him in a really cool way. I’ve never seen it before.
“He’s done so many great things, and he’s created so many special moments for everybody here this year.”
Crow-Armstrong has spent the entire season doing things that have rarely been accomplished in baseball history, his statistical output during a ridiculous month of June putting him in the same company as baseball immortals Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
His 42nd home run last week matched Hall of Famer and franchise legend Billy Williams for the most dingers in a single season by a left-handed hitting Cub, and he’s now in sole possession of that record, with 45.
“He moves differently. He has different tools than everyone else. And you just kind of enjoy sitting back and watching history being made,” designated hitter Michael Conforto said of his teammate last week. “He’s relentless in what he wants to achieve, definitely as a team, but also it’s clear he wants to be the best.
“It’s really cool to watch. It’s been really fun to be his teammate.”