Pete Crow-Armstrong is still stacking honors long after the Chicago Cubs’ season ended, and the latest one came straight from the players who faced him all year.
On Wednesday morning, the MLB Players Association announced its 2026 award winners, and Crow-Armstrong walked away with two major prizes. The 24-year-old was voted the National League’s Outstanding Player and also earned Player of the Year, giving him his first win in either category.
That Player of the Year recognition puts him in a recent group that includes Cal Raleigh, Aaron Judge, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Sohei Ohtani. It also comes with a little extra weight because the Player Choice Awards, which have been handed out since 1992, are decided by active MLB players.
In other words, this wasn’t a public popularity contest. It was a direct nod from the guys on the other side of the field.
The MLBPA also released a video celebrating Crow-Armstrong’s win, and it came loaded with praise. Zach Wheeler, Yordan Alvarez, Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Schlitter, Kevin McGonigle, and Sal Stewart all chimed in. Misiorowski highlighted his bat-to-ball skills, Schlitter called him the MVP of the entire league, and Stewart said he is the best competitor he knows.
That kind of respect makes plenty of sense after the season Crow-Armstrong just put together. He led the league with 10.6 WAR, according to Fangraphs, posted a .943 OPS, and became only the seventh player in MLB history to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season.
The biggest prize may still be on the way. The official NL MVP award will be announced on November 12, following the conclusion of the 2026 season, and Crow-Armstrong is widely expected to add that to his haul.
He is also expected to pick up a Gold Glove and All-MLB Team recognition before the final trophy case gets filled out. Whatever comes next, this already stands as one of the most memorable seasons in Cubs and MLB history.
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