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The votes haven’t officially been announced, but the race is over.
Pete Crow-Armstrong is the 2026 National League MVP.
In a league featuring Shohei Ohtani and some of the most talented players in baseball, the Chicago Cubs center fielder has put together a season that became impossible to ignore.
Crow-Armstrong officially joined one of baseball’s most exclusive clubs Thursday when he stole his 40th base of the season, becoming just the seventh player in MLB history to record 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season.
And somehow, the 40-40 milestone only tells part of the story.
PCA’s historic 2026 season
Crow-Armstrong entered Thursday hitting .280 with 45 home runs, 107 RBI, 119 runs scored and a .950 OPS. He has combined elite power with elite speed while playing one of the most valuable defensive positions on the field at an exceptional level.
Earlier this week, he became the first center fielder in MLB history to produce at least 40 home runs, 30 doubles and 30 stolen bases in the same season.
Then came stolen base No. 40.
The combination puts Crow-Armstrong alongside some of the most dynamic players the sport has ever seen.
But what separates his MVP case from a simple collection of home runs and stolen bases is just how complete his season has been.
Crow-Armstrong has generated value at the plate, on the bases and in center field. FanGraphs had him leading the majors with 10.5 WAR following his 45th home run against Cincinnati, while he also led MLB in runs scored.
That’s superstar production in virtually every phase of the game.
Beating Shohei Ohtani is no small accomplishment
For much of the season, the biggest obstacle standing between Crow-Armstrong and his first MVP award was obvious: Shohei Ohtani.
Winning an MVP with Ohtani in the same league has become one of baseball’s most difficult tasks.
Crow-Armstrong didn’t simply hang around long enough to make it a debate. He eventually took control of the race.
MLB.com’s final MVP poll surveyed 38 experts, and Crow-Armstrong received all 38 first-place votes. He finished with 190 points compared with 135 for Ohtani.
That tells you how dramatically the race has shifted.
Ohtani once again produced an outstanding season, but injuries limited him late in the year. Crow-Armstrong, meanwhile, continued adding to one of the best all-around seasons baseball has seen in years.
This wasn’t a case of Ohtani simply losing the award.
Crow-Armstrong took it.
From exciting young player to MLB superstar
Perhaps the most impressive part of Crow-Armstrong’s season is how quickly his offensive game has evolved.
The defensive ability and athleticism were never really in question. The question was whether his bat could develop enough for him to become a legitimate superstar.
In 2024, Crow-Armstrong hit .237 with 10 home runs and a .670 OPS.
He took a significant step forward in 2025, hitting 31 home runs and stealing 35 bases, but still finished with a .768 OPS.
Then everything came together.
His OPS has jumped to roughly .950 in 2026, while his walk total has increased dramatically. Earlier in September, Crow-Armstrong had already drawn 75 walks in 146 games after drawing only 53 across his first 293 career games.
The player who once looked like an elite defender with intriguing offensive upside has become one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball.
And he’s still only 24 years old.
One of the greatest seasons in Cubs history
Crow-Armstrong isn’t merely having a great 2026.
He’s putting together a season that deserves to be mentioned alongside some of the greatest individual performances in Chicago Cubs history.
Earlier this month, his 2026 season had already climbed into territory occupied by names like Rogers Hornsby, Sammy Sosa, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Ryne Sandberg on the Cubs’ single-season WAR leaderboard.
That’s the company Crow-Armstrong now keeps.
Chicago hasn’t had an NL MVP since Kris Bryant won the award during the Cubs’ World Series championship season in 2016.
Ten years later, another Cubs center fielder is preparing to bring the trophy back to Wrigleyville.
The MVP race is over
The official announcement will have to wait.
The conclusion shouldn’t.
Forty-five home runs. Forty stolen bases. Elite defense in center field. More than 10 WAR. A historic combination of power and speed.
Pete Crow-Armstrong didn’t just have the breakout season Cubs fans were hoping for.
He developed into one of baseball’s biggest stars and put together a season worthy of the National League’s highest individual honor.
The 2026 NL MVP race is over.
Pete Crow-Armstrong won it.
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