Pete Crow-Armstrong’s MVP gives the Cubs a massive advantage but too cheap to realize

For the first time since Kris Bryant in 2016, the Chicago Cubs are the home to the National League MVP. As has been expected since August, Crow-Armstrong was officially named the National League MVP, and it's a defining moment for the organization.

There were questions about Crow-Armstrong's profile entering the 2026 season. After performing at an MVP level during the first half of the 2025 season, he struggled during the closing months of the campaign, leaving many to question what version of the center fielder is the one to expect moving forward.

Despite those questions, the Cubs stepped outside of their comfort zone, signing Crow-Armstrong to historic pre-arbitration. It was a six-year deal worth $115 million, and it was a sign of the Cubs gambling that the version of Crow-Armstrong that was evident in April and May of 2025 is what to expect.

The initial returns after the contract extension were concerning, Crow-Armstrong slashed .224/.316/.361 through his first 235 plate appearances this season, only hitting six home runs. Those struggles are an added layer to just how brilliant Crow-Armstrong's 2026 season wound up being.

Crow-Armstrong finished 2026 with an fWAR of 10.6, slashing .280/.372/.570 with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases. It was historic. It was unlike anything most Cubs fans have seen before. And, it was validation of why Jed Hoyer and Co. were so eager to sign Crow-Armstrong to an extension at the start of the season.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the MVP, but what happens next is equally as important for the Cubs

It's certainly a celebratory moment for Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs, but with that, should come a reminder for the front office. Don't waste this moment. The Cubs have a homegrown superstar (Yes, they didn't draft him, but they developed him), and the type of player that if he were a free agent, the organization would refuse to pay. Refuse in the sense that they wouldn't go to the financial level it would take to secure his services if he were on the open market.

The Cubs need to take advantage of this window, but there's no indication that they will. Instead talking about how the Cubs could use the money saved by not having to pay for a superstar position player, it's been a cost-conscious start to the offseason. The Cubs haven't made any move of consequence yet this offseason, but every indication appears to be that they are shopping in the middle tier of free agency. That's fine, there are good moves that can be had there, but it feels like the Cubs are leaving the advantage of Crow-Armstrong being cheap untapped.

Again, this moment shouldn't be soured on. It's a crowing of Crow-Armstrong's arrival as a superstar and one of the faces of Major League Baseball. The problem that's hard to ignore, though, is that the Cubs aren't equipped for what that should mean for them moving forward.

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