Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been named the 2026 National League Most Valuable Player, capping off a historic season that saw him dominate in every facet of the game. The 24-year-old was a unanimous selection, receiving all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) to become the first Cubs player to claim the award since Kris Bryant in 2016.
Crow-Armstrong’s MVP bid was bolstered by a rare and prolific performance that etched his name into the history books. He became just the seventh player in Major League Baseball history to record a 40-homer, 40-stolen base season, finishing the year with 45 long balls and 41 stolen bases. Beyond his offensive power, he led the National League in runs (119), slugging percentage (.570), OPS (.943), and total bases (357).
While his bat drew national headlines, it was his glove that separated him from the field. Crow-Armstrong secured his second consecutive Gold Glove in center field and led all of MLB with a staggering 26 in Statcast’s Fielding Run Value. His defensive excellence earned him the inaugural Platinum Glove—a historic feat, as he became the first player since the award’s inception in 2011 to win the Hank Aaron Award for top hitter and the Platinum Glove for top fielder in the same season.
The MVP race, while concluding in a landslide victory for the Cubs star, was initially viewed as a tight contest against Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. As late as July, Ohtani was considered the frontrunner; however, a midseason knee issue forced Ohtani to shelve his pitching duties, shifting his profile to a pure designated hitter role. Conversely, Crow-Armstrong ignited in the second half of the season following a minor swing adjustment, ultimately outshining Ohtani—who finished with 26 second-place votes—in the final tallies.
The unanimous nature of the vote reflects a broader trend in MLB, as 2026 marked the first time in league history that both the MVP and Cy Young awards were decided by unanimous votes in both the American and National Leagues. On the AL side, Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez claimed the MVP honor in similar fashion after a record-breaking offensive campaign.
For Crow-Armstrong, the accolade validates a rapid ascent that began when the New York Mets drafted him 19th overall in 2020. Since being traded to the Cubs in the 2021 deal for Javier Báez, he has evolved from a defensive prospect into one of the sport’s most lethal weapons. Despite the Cubs’ early exit in the 2026 postseason, Crow-Armstrong’s regular-season mastery has cemented his status as the new face of baseball and a cornerstone for the Chicago franchise for years to come.
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