​The M-V-Pete chants at Wrigley Field have never felt more timely than they do now. Pete Crow-Armstrong etched his name into history by becoming the first MLB player in 2026 to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, courtesy of a two-homer night that powered the Chicago Cubs to a 9-7 road victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Wednesday. He sits second in the National League with 25 stolen bases and ranks fifth in the majors in stolen baserunning, while also cracking the NL home run leaderboard with his 20th and 21st rounds-trippers in Baltimore.
Crow-Armstrong’s electric all-around play has captivated the baseball world, especially after a troubled finish to the 2025 season. Known as PCA, he’s rebounding impressively in 2026, and his season so far demonstrates both consistency and growth. He currently sits ninth in the NL in batting average at .295 and is tied for seventh in runs scored with 60. At just 23 years old, his youth and energy are unmistakable, even as a moment from earlier this season—an infamous interaction with a female Chicago White Sox fan—made headlines. At the plate, though, he’s transformed into a much more mature hitter, and his postgame remarks underscore a disciplined approach rather than a celebration of just achieving another 20-20 milestone in game No. 92.
“I’ve got a lot more baseball to play,” Crow-Armstrong said, per The Athletic. “I’ll be going home thinking about my last at-bat and how I approach that one if I face him again tomorrow.” The last player to reach 40-40 was Shohei Ohtani, who became the first 50-50 star in major-league history with the Dodgers in 2024. Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves has also produced a 40-40 season this decade. Despite those feats, Crow-Armstrong looms as a genuine contender for the MVP, a distinction that would be momentous given Ohtani’s overwhelming hold on the award and Crow-Armstrong’s own youthful enthusiasm.
Ahead of Wednesday’s action, Crow-Armstrong led the majors in fWAR at 5.5 and was tied with Junior Caminero of the Rays for 10th in wRC+ among all hitters at 150. After finishing last season with the highest swing rate in the league, he’s refined his approach in 2026. His swing rate sits at 52%—still above average, but not as extreme as last year’s—while his walk rate has surged to a single-season record of 41, up from 29 in 647 plate appearances in 2025. Last season, he hit just four homers after August 1, and his OPS dipped to .634 in the second half, a dip Cubs fans will not soon forget. This year, however, Crow-Armstrong’s growth and confidence have sparked a rejuvenating energy that’s spread through the Cubs’ clubhouse.
As the Cubs push toward the postseason, PCA’s emergence has become a defining storyline, infusing the team with youthful optimism and a dynamic swagger. The combination of his 20-20 pace and his evolving approach at the plate signals that Crow-Armstrong is not merely chasing numbers but elevating his game to a new level—a transformation that could reshape his career and redefine the Cubs’ window of contention for years to come. With his ongoing development, Crow-Armstrong stands at the center of a larger narrative: a franchise-tied superstar-in-the-making who could become a perennial MVP candidate, carrying the club forward while continuing to entertain and inspire fans across Chicago and beyond.