Pete Crow-Armstrong’s season just keeps adding hardware.
The Chicago Cubs center fielder was named the National League’s Rawlings Platinum Glove winner, giving the Cubs their first Platinum Glove honoree since Anthony Rizzo in 2016. Former Cub Cody Bellinger took the American League Platinum Glove, but the headline in Chicago is Crow-Armstrong’s latest defensive crown.
Crow-Armstrong had already stacked up consecutive Gold Glove Awards, and the numbers behind this season explain why he rose to the top again. He finished with 26 outs above average, eight five-star catches, 23 runs prevented, a 2.1 defensive WAR, and 16 defensive runs saved, which tied for seventh in MLB. In other words, nobody in baseball made a bigger impact with the glove.
The Cubs also took home the Rawlings Gold Glove Team Award in the National League for the second straight year. Toronto won the American League version, marking the Blue Jays’ third time capturing it in four years.
Chicago’s defense was a huge part of the story all season long. The Cubs led MLB with 115 Defensive Runs Saved, a .990 fielding percentage, and Outs Above Average. That kind of production helped fuel a season that brought plenty of recognition, even if the early playoff exit left the bigger picture feeling unfinished.
Crow-Armstrong’s year still has more room for awards. He remains in the mix for a Silver Slugger and the NL MVP award. If he wins MVP, he would become the first player in MLB history to win that honor and a Platinum Glove in the same season.
That would be a fitting cap to a season that already stands out as one of the most memorable in Cubs history. The 40-40 campaign grabbed plenty of attention, but the defense was just as central to Chicago’s success. And with Crow-Armstrong anchoring it, the Cubs have a true superstar leading the way.
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Cubs Prospect May Be Forcing A Faster Timeline Than Expected
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For the Cubs, the question is no longer just how good Hartshorn can be, but how soon he might fit into the picture. There is already speculation that his MLB debut could come as early as 2027, depending on how the roster shapes up and how other players perform ahead of him. For a club always balancing present needs with future upside, Hartshorns progress is the kind of development that can quietly alter the timeline faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Are Giving One Bullpen Arm Another Shot To Break Through
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For Chicago, it is another low-risk bet on a pitcher who has yet to break through to the majors but remains on the radar as a bullpen possibility for 2027. Klobosits never got the call last season, yet the Cubs are clearly willing to give him more runway and see whether the stuff translates into a real big league role down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Catching Decision That Could Shape Next Season
The Cubs are weighing a familiar winter question behind the plate, and it could have ripple effects well beyond Opening Day. Carson Kelly has emerged as the preferred option because of what he brings offensively and because he already knows the staff and the clubhouse, but free agency always forces a team to balance comfort against cost.
Austin Hedges sits there as the more economical alternative, the kind of veteran stopgap a club can use while it waits on a younger catcher to mature. The defensive gap between the two is not expected to be large, which is why this decision may come down to how much the Cubs want to invest now versus how quickly they believe Owen Ayers can become part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]