Pete Crow-Armstrong wins unanimous NL MVP after historic 40-40 season with the Cubs
Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was named the National League's Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, receiving all 30 first-place votes to become the first unanimous MVP winner in Cubs history. Crow-Armstrong finished the 2026 season with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases, making it only the seventh 40-40 campaign in MLB history and the first ever for a Cubs player. He led the majors with a 10.6 WAR per FanGraphs — second in Cubs franchise history — while also topping MLB in slugging, OPS, extra-base hits, runs scored, and total bases. Crow-Armstrong also earned the NL Platinum Glove, a Gold Glove, and the NL Hank Aaron Award, capping a season Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer described as the best position-player season he had personally witnessed.
Why it matters
For brands: The Cubs' decision to acquire Crow-Armstrong as a prospect in the 2021 Javier Báez trade has paid off with a franchise-defining individual season and multiple major awards.
For media: A unanimous MVP vote and historic 40-40 season make Crow-Armstrong one of the sport's most compelling storylines heading into the offseason.
For athletes: Crow-Armstrong's unanimous MVP validates a breakout season that redefined his public profile from an elite defender to one of the most complete players in the game.
Read the full story at MLB.com news
Sources
- MLB.com news · Jordan Bastian: With 40-40 season, PCA left no doubt in winning NL MVP