You know what’s so great about this? It’s not really a question of whether Pete Crow-Armstrong will win the 2026 National League MVP; the only question is whether the Chicago Cubs’ center fielder will be the unanimous winner. He’s already racked up Fielding Bible’s Defensive Player of the Year, was voted the Players’ Choice 2026 Player of the Year, and his second straight Gold Glove Award in center field puts Crow-Armstrong one step closer to baseball immortality.
On Sunday, Crow-Armstrong won the NL Gold Glove in center field. No, duh. Andy Pages of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Michael Harris II were the other two finalists, who finished behind PCA.
PCA’s second straight Gold Glove win has already put him in rare territory, as he became only the second player ever in MLB history to have a 40/40 season and win a Gold Glove in the same year. He’s also the second player ever to win back-to-back Gold Glove Awards and have back-to-back seasons with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
Before this year, Barry Bonds last accomplished those feats in 1996-97 with the San Francisco Giants. Bonds’ 40/40 season was in 1996. Now, let’s get into what will make Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 2026 season stand alone in baseball history.
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See, back in 1996, Bonds somehow finished fifth in National League MVP voting, behind Chipper Jones, Ellis Burks, Mike Piazza, and the winner, Ken Caminiti. Those results look insane through a modern lens, but I have to imagine that there was some outrage because Bonds became only the second player ever in MLB history to have a 40/40 season, and he was top-three in almost every major offensive category, while also winning a Gold Glove.
Anyway, Bonds didn’t win MVP, which opens the door for Crow-Armstrong to do something no other player in MLB history has ever achieved in a single season: 40/40, Gold Glove, MVP.
Crow-Armstrong was officially named one of three National League MVP finalists alongside Shohei Ohtani and Brice Turang. PCA is the overwhelming favorite.
The MVP winners will be announced on Nov. 12, live on MLB Network. Don’t let anyone play down how amazing PCA’s 2026 season was. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s season will be a first in MLB history.
