Pete Crow-Armstrong Reaches 40/40 Milestone in Cubs Playoff Clincher

Pete Crow-Armstrong became the seventh player in MLB history to record 40 home runs and 40 steals during a Thursday afternoon win that secured a Cubs postseason berth.

Pete Crow-Armstrong became the seventh player in MLB history to join the 40/40 club on Thursday afternoon, stealing his 40th base to pair with 40 home runs this season. The milestone occurred as the Chicago Cubs officially clinched a National League Wild Card berth at Wrigley Field. The 24-year-old center fielder currently leads the National League in home runs, runs scored, games played, and fWAR.

Operating as the full-time leadoff hitter, Crow-Armstrong is batting .303 with 38 home runs and 83 RBIs from the top of the order. His offensive evolution includes a significant improvement against left-handed pitching; after posting a .188/.217/.376 slash line against lefties in 2025, he has produced a .282/.378/.513 mark this year. He also improved his season on-base percentage by nearly 100 points while reducing his chase rate by eight percentage points compared to previous marks.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer stated that Crow-Armstrong is the favorite to win the NL MVP, the Hank Aaron Award, and the Platinum Glove. The outfielder entered the 2026 season as a 35-1 long shot for the MVP award before leading Chicago to its first postseason appearance of the decade. Teammate Dansby Swanson noted that Crow-Armstrong’s consistency has been a focal point, as the outfielder has avoided extended slumps by rebounding from dips in production within three days.