Pete Crow-Armstrong’s season is already headed for a trophy case full of hardware, but the Cubs have a bigger issue sitting right alongside all that individual success.
The 24-year-old center fielder is on track for National League MVP consideration, and he also looks set to collect Gold Glove and Louisville Silver Slugger honors among NL outfielders. On top of that, Crow-Armstrong was named a finalist for the Hank Aaron Award, a fitting spot after a monster year at the plate.
The numbers make the case quickly. Crow-Armstrong tied Kyle Schwarber for the most home runs in baseball with 45, led baseball in runs scored, and finished with only Yordan Alvarez posting a higher wRC+.
He also swiped 41 bases. Put it all together, and it’s easy to see why this feels like a clean sweep waiting to happen.
But while Crow-Armstrong’s season is about to be celebrated, it also shines a light on what the Cubs can’t afford to miss this winter and beyond.
Pitching will naturally be the first priority for Chicago after a year that left the club 14 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central. The Cubs also managed only one run in the playoffs, and the lack of quality pitching had them behind the eight ball before those games even got rolling.
Still, the offense deserves attention too.
Carson Kelly, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Conforto, and Tyrone Taylor are all set to hit free agency this winter, which means a big chunk of the Cubs’ 2026 offensive production could be gone. And as brilliant as Crow-Armstrong was, his 2026 season was the outlier. He might be great again in 2027, but matching this level is the least likely outcome.
That leaves Chicago with a clear warning sign: the lineup needs help, too. In a perfect world, that would mean bringing back Seiya Suzuki, though that may not be on the table.
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For the Cubs, Kwan would make sense as a short-term answer because he brings stability to a spot that could change before Opening Day. One reported framework would send pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins and infield prospect James Triantos to the Guardians, though nothing has been finalized, and the larger question for Chicago is whether it would make that kind of move for a player who could help right away while the club keeps balancing present needs with future depth. [Read more 🡒]