Did Pete Crow-Armstrong just lock up the NL MVP award with historic Cubs performance?

Did Pete Crow-Armstrong just lock up the NL MVP award with historic Cubs performance? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

August 29, 2026, might be remembered as the day Pete Crow-Armstrong ended the National League MVP debate.

The Chicago Cubs center fielder delivered the best offensive performance of his young career Saturday, hitting three home runs and driving in six during a 17-5 demolition of the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Crow-Armstrong finished 4-for-6 with three homers, six RBIs and four runs scored. It was the first three-homer game of his career and the type of late-season performance that can define an MVP campaign.

The 39,597 fans inside Wrigley certainly understood the significance of the moment.

“M-V-P!” chants followed Crow-Armstrong around the bases after his third homer, a towering 444-foot drive to center field in the seventh inning. Yahoo Sports shared the scene as Chicago’s superstar continued to strengthen his case for the league’s top individual honor.

There are still several weeks remaining in the regular season. Nothing officially was decided Saturday.

But was this the day Crow-Armstrong effectively wrapped up the award?

It certainly felt like it.

Crow-Armstrong wasted no time taking over the game. The 24-year-old opened the bottom of the first inning by crushing an Andrew Abbott fastball 435 feet into the right-center-field seats. The solo shot was his eighth leadoff homer of the season.

He returned in the second and drove a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole. Crow-Armstrong later singled and scored in the fourth before completing the hat trick against Tony Santillan in the seventh. His final home run left the bat at 105.3 mph and traveled 444 feet. It also turned an outstanding afternoon into an unforgettable one.

HAVE A DAY PCA 🤯

3 HR
4 R
6 RBI
4-6 H-AB
17-5 win over Reds

Pete Crow-Armstrong's MVP stock continues to rise 📈 pic.twitter.com/SJpVEHDMB9

Crow-Armstrong became the first Cubs player to record a three-homer game since Christopher Morel did it against the St. Louis Cardinals in August 2025. More importantly, the performance brought his season totals to 36 home runs, 89 RBIs, 97 runs and 32 stolen bases.

He is now hitting .282 with a .377 on-base percentage and a .567 slugging percentage.

Those offensive numbers would make Crow-Armstrong a legitimate MVP candidate at almost any position. Producing them while playing elite defense at one of baseball’s most demanding positions separates him from nearly everyone else.

Crow-Armstrong already won a Gold Glove in 2025. His speed and range allow him to turn potential extra-base hits into routine outs, while his power and baserunning make him dangerous every time he steps to the plate.

That complete package is at the heart of his MVP argument.

The MVP race is not officially over because Shohei Ohtani remains involved. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar won the NL award in each of the previous two seasons and continues to produce as one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters. His reputation and offensive numbers will keep him at the center of the conversation until ballots are submitted.

This season, however, Crow-Armstrong can offer something Ohtani cannot.

Ohtani has been limited to designated hitter duties since July 3 because of left knee soreness and a right biceps injury. Crow-Armstrong, meanwhile, affects games offensively, defensively and on the bases.

That distinction matters.

Ohtani may still have the stronger argument in certain offensive categories, but Crow-Armstrong’s overall impact has become increasingly difficult to ignore. He already has completed his second consecutive 30-homer, 30-steal season, becoming the first player in Cubs history to accomplish that feat in back-to-back years.

He also has produced some of the season’s most memorable moments.

Crow-Armstrong hit leadoff and walk-off home runs in the same game against the White Sox on Aug. 18. He homered again the following night, then added another against Seattle five days later.

Saturday’s outburst was his fifth multi-homer game of the season. It also gave him 12 home runs during a blistering August.

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MVP awards are earned over six months, not one afternoon. Still, individual games can crystallize an entire campaign. They can provide voters with the moment they remember when comparing two deserving candidates.

Crow-Armstrong created that moment Saturday.

He homered three times, drove in six runs and powered the Cubs to a blowout win. He reached 36 home runs while remaining comfortably above 30 stolen bases. He did it in front of a packed Wrigley Field crowd that spent the afternoon openly campaigning on his behalf.

The race is not mathematically or officially finished. Ohtani remains capable of producing a September run that changes the discussion.

But if Crow-Armstrong finishes the season holding the NL MVP trophy, August 29, 2026, may be remembered as the afternoon he made it his.

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