Pete Crow-Armstrong’s rise has given the Cubs something they haven’t had since Kris Bryant in 2016: a National League MVP in a Chicago uniform. That became official, and it marks a major moment for the organization.
It also serves as a reminder of just how far Crow-Armstrong has come in a short time. Entering the 2026 season, there were real questions about which version of the center fielder the Cubs would get after he played at an MVP level in the first half of 2025, then faded down the stretch.
Chicago still bet big on the talent, locking him up on a six-year, $115 million deal before arbitration. That extension was the Cubs betting that the early-2025 version was the real one.
The first few months after the deal did not make that look like a safe bet. Through his first 235 plate appearances this season, Crow-Armstrong hit just .224/.316/.361 with six home runs.
But the rest of the year turned that early concern into a footnote. He closed 2026 with a 10.6 fWAR, a .280/.372/.570 slash line, 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases.
It was the kind of season that doesn’t just stand out in a box score - it lands as something Cubs fans haven’t seen much of, if ever.
That production is exactly why the front office was so eager to get the extension done when it did. Jed Hoyer and Co. bought in early, and the payoff was an MVP season.
Now comes the harder part: what the Cubs do with the advantage they’ve created. Crow-Armstrong is a homegrown superstar - not drafted by the organization, but developed by it - and the kind of player Chicago would never realistically pay if he reached free agency.
That’s what makes the contract so valuable. It should free up room to build around him.
Instead, the early offseason has been cautious. The Cubs have not made a move of consequence yet, and the signs point toward a middle-tier shopping approach rather than a push to fully capitalize on having a superstar at a bargain. There are useful moves to be made in that market, but the bigger point is hard to miss: the Cubs have a rare edge here, and it feels like they may not be using it.
Crow-Armstrong’s MVP season deserves to be celebrated. The concern is what comes next, and whether the Cubs are ready to act like a team with a player this good and this affordable.
In Other News...
Pete Crow-Armstrong Just Gave Cubs Fans A Franchise Statement
Pete Crow-Armstrongs 2026 season has now been stamped in a way few players ever manage, with the Baseball Writers Association of America revealing that the Cubs star won the National League MVP award unanimously. It was the kind of year that leaves no room for debate, as he played in all 162 games and sat atop the majors in a string of offensive and defensive categories, putting together the sort of all-around campaign that changes the way a team is viewed.
For the Cubs, the significance goes beyond one trophy. Crow-Armstrong finished ahead of Shohei Ohtani in the voting, with Brice Turang third, but the larger story is what this says about where Chicago stands when its center fielder is producing at that level every night. It is the kind of franchise-defining season that can reshape expectations, and the only real question now is how far the Cubs can ride it from here. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Outfield Picture Is Taking Shape Around One Intriguing Name
The Cubs outfield puzzle is starting to come into focus, and it centers on one name that has quietly gained traction inside the organization. With Pete Crow-Armstrong locked in as a fixture, Chicago still has two spots to sort out as Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki head toward free agency, leaving the front office to weigh whether the answers are already in the system or still need to be found elsewhere.
Among the internal options, Pedro Ramirez has emerged as an intriguing candidate, with GM Carter Hawkins pointing to his athleticism and versatility as traits that could help him fit a number of roles. Matt Shaw and Kevin Alcantara are also in the mix, giving the Cubs a few different ways to shape the group as they continue broader offseason business, including possible interest in bringing back Carson Kelly and a front office that just secured Jed Hoyer through 2030. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Still Need This Bat While Other Teams Start Moving
The first notable corner-infield move of the offseason came off the board when the Red Sox signed former Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers to a four-year, $56 million deal. Bauers had been expected to move on after Milwaukee extended a qualifying offer, and the agreement gives one more established bat a new home while other clubs continue to sort through their own winter checklists.
For the Cubs, the timing only sharpens the focus on what still needs to be done. Chicago has yet to make any significant moves, and with the market beginning to shift around them, the front office is still staring at the same basic offseason priority: finding the right bat to deepen the lineup and keep pace as other teams start checking off their needs. [Read more 🡒]