Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is putting together one of his best seasons since making his MLB debut in 2023. After earning a second straight All-Star nod, he is slashing .291/.386/.531 for a .917 OPS through 96 games.
Among qualified National League hitters, he is tied for fifth in hits (104), ranks sixth in runs scored (63), is tied for eighth in home runs (21), is tied for 21st in RBIs (53) and ranks second in stolen bases (24), according to FanGraphs.
His strong performance has made him a serious NL MVP candidate. According to DraftKings, he has the second-best odds (+700) to win the award, behind Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani (-1000).
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Getting past Ohtani isn't an easy feat. As a pitcher, he has a 1.79 ERA through 85.2 innings pitched, and as a hitter, he holds a .952 OPS in 335 at-bats. When asked about beating Ohtani for the award, Crow-Armstrong joked that a position change may be necessary.
"I was telling a few of the guys earlier, 'man, I would love to dethrone him,' but I don't know how you do it unless I go to a pitching lab in the off-season," Crow-Armstrong said, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "I'll go be a closer or something and see how that helps my odds."
While the outfielder was clearly joking, his comments highlight the difficulty of competing with a player as unique as Ohtani. His ability to excel at an elite level both on the mound and at the plate makes him one of the toughest players to surpass in the NL MVP race.
With the Cubs set to return to action on Friday, beginning a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins, all Crow-Armstrong can do is continue playing at a high level. If he does, his name will continue to be in MVP talks alongside Ohtani.
