Pete Crow-Armstrong takes aim at distinction no Cubs MVP winner has ever achieved

It seems like multiple times a week all season long, we've seen Pete Crow-Armstrong do something never before seen in Chicago Cubs history. Heck, more than once, do things we've never seen in baseball history. So it only makes sense that when the dust settles on the 2026 MLB season, he checks one more box.

In its 150-year history, the Cubs organization has had 10 (soon to be 11) players win MVP. Frank Schulte, Rogers Hornsby, Gabby Hartnett, Phil Cavarretta, Hank Sauer, Ernie Banks (x2), Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, Sammy Sosa and Kris Bryant. Each of their respective MVP seasons were special, but none of them were selected unanimously.

Of that list, Bryant came closest, collecting 29 of 30 first-place votes in 2016, leading the Cubs to 103 regular-season wins and a World Series championship, proving that his Rookie of the Year campaign the year prior was no fluke. Daniel Murphy of the Washington Nationals received the other first-place vote in a landslide win for the Chicago third baseman.

That year, Bryant led the league with 7.5 fWAR and 121 runs, slashing .292/.385/.554 with 39 home runs and 102 runs batted in. It's almost laughable putting his fWAR next to Crow-Armstrong's, but it's a testament to the tremendous value PCA brings not only at the plate, but on the basepaths and in the outfield.

Entering Saturday, Crow-Armstrong is at 10.7 fWAR - the second-highest total by any player in Cubs history. He's slashing .280/.373/.575 with 45 home runs, 41 stolen bases and 107 RBI.

Voters have no excuse to not pick Pete Crow-Armstrong for NL MVP

Crow-Armstrong has been so much better than the field that it's almost laughable. The next-closest player in terms of fWAR? Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals - and he hasn't even cracked 7.0 fWAR on the season (6.8 fWAR). Fangraphs has Ohtani at 6.8 fWAR, but that's combining his batting and pitching performance. So, even doing that, there's still a 4.0-win gap between him and PCA.

We've known for some time that we're witnessing something special. Hopefully, the BBWAA voters realize the same thing and give PCA an honor no Cub before him has ever received - because that's how incredible his 2026 season has been.

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