Chicago’s standout center fielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong, had already established himself as the clear favorite for the National League MVP award prior to Saturday’s matchup with the Reds. He then solidified that status during the Cubs’ dominant 15-5 blowout of Cincinnati, putting together an unforgettable performance at Wrigley Field:
With this display, Crow-Armstrong became the initial Cubs player since George Mitterwald in 1974 to rack up a minimum of four hits, three round-trippers, and six runs batted in during a single game at Wrigley. In the eighth inning, he stepped up to the plate with an opportunity to slug a fourth home run—especially with a position player pitching for Cincinnati—but instead hit a grounder to second base off a slow 58.1 mph knuckleball thrown by catcher Jose Trevino, according to Statcast data.
Take a look at his third home run of the afternoon right here:
While it resembles a bat drop more than a traditional flip, the celebration is completely warranted.
Prior to Saturday’s action, Crow-Armstrong was already pacing the Major Leagues with a stellar 7.9 WAR—an incredible mark given that the calendar hasn’t flipped to September—and that number is set to climb even further following his latest output. The 24-year-old outfielder might be the premier defensive center fielder in the game today, while also posing a constant threat on the basepaths with 32 stolen bases this season, having grounded into a mere two double plays across 136 contests. On top of that, his offensive production is soaring; he is currently slashing .282/.377/.567 with 36 round-trippers and vastly superior discipline at the plate, evidenced by his 71 free passes. He is well within reach of eclipsing 300 total bases for the campaign before August concludes.
These impressive statistics have been heavily supported by an exceptional performance throughout August. According to findings from the CBS Sports research department, Crow-Armstrong is only the fourth player over the past half-century to amass at least 12 home runs, 25 RBI, and six stolen bases within a single calendar month. He joins an elite group featuring Ryne Sandberg (1990), Eric Davis (1987), and Bobby Bonds (1977), underscoring PCA’s versatile impact on offense.
Is PCA extending his advantage over Shohei Ohtani for MVP?
Regarding the MVP picture, Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani captured the previous two NL MVP trophies and was widely expected to secure a third consecutive honor entering 2026. While Ohtani continues to play at an elite level, his offensive numbers have dipped slightly compared to his historic outputs from 2023 through 2025.
Furthermore, a persistent knee issue has kept Ohtani off the pitching mound since the start of July, with no definite schedule set for his return to pitching duties. Though he excelled as a dual-threat player before this setback, his pitching contributions this year are currently insufficient to offset PCA’s edge in overall value. Saturday’s events at Wrigley Field only served to push them further apart.
Looking at that margin, betting markets are heavily favoring Crow-Armstrong to win. Earlier on Saturday, FanDuel listed Crow-Armstrong as a -390 favorite, with Ohtani trailing at +300. Following his three-homer performance, the betting lines shifted dramatically in PCA’s direction, making him a -1100 favorite while Ohtani’s odds adjusted to +650.
From a team perspective, Chicago holds onto the top wild-card spot, though Philadelphia is hot on their heels, trailing by a mere 1.5 games ahead of their Saturday matchup against the Angels. Additionally, the Cubs are still aiming to chase down the division-leading Brewers in the NL Central, currently sitting 7.5 games out of first. Consequently, Crow-Armstrong’s immense contributions against Cincinnati—and throughout the year—have been critical to their postseason aspirations. That is precisely the definition of a Most Valuable Player.
