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Pete Crow-Armstrong news

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The gist

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a leadoff and walk-off homer on Aug 17, then two more leadoff homers, reaching 32. He leads MLB with 8.2 WAR, making the NL MVP race tight.

Background

Pete Crow-Armstrong, center fielder for the Chicago Cubs, has been on a tear in August, hitting multiple leadoff home runs and a walk-off homer against the White Sox. His performance has boosted his MVP candidacy, with a league-leading WAR of 8.2, surpassing Shohei Ohtani's 7.0. He also recorded his second straight 30-30 season (30 homers, 30 steals).

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 17, 2026Crow-Armstrong hits a leadoff homer and a two-run walk-off homer against the White Sox, securing a 7-5 win. He records his 30th homer and second straight 30-30 season.
  2. Aug 18, 2026He hits another leadoff home run, his 31st of the season.
  3. Aug 21, 2026He hits a leadoff home run against the Mariners, his 32nd of the season.

Who’s saying what

Official
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, 'It's been incredible to watch.'
Analysts
MLB insider suggests the MVP race is tight, with Crow-Armstrong's recent tear strengthening his bid against Ohtani.
Support
Cubs pitcher Webb said, 'I'm going to say Pete's my MVP. Definitely, I feel like he's earned it.'

Sources

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