Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was unanimously named the National League’s Most Valuable Player on Thursday night, ending a three-year run atop the award by Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who had won the honor unanimously in each of the previous two seasons.
Crow-Armstrong, widely known as PCA, came to the Cubs after beginning his career as a top prospect in the New York Mets organization. He played a part-time role in 2024 and showed flashes of power and speed in 2025, hitting 31 home runs and stealing 35 bases. But a tendency to strike out and a low walk rate kept him from becoming a star — until 2026.
This past season, Crow-Armstrong’s plate discipline improved dramatically. His walk rate jumped from 4.5% in 2025 to 11.4% in 2026, while his bat speed rose from 72.7 mph to 75.1 mph. His average exit velocity climbed above 90 mph, and his hard-hit rate reached 48.6%.
The results showed up across the board: 45 home runs, 41 stolen bases, a .280 batting average, a .372 on-base percentage and a .570 slugging percentage. According to FanGraphs, his offense was 57% better than league average, and his defense in center field was worth 23 runs above the average player at the position. Overall, his performance was valued at 10.6 wins above replacement for the season.
Crow-Armstrong’s unanimous selection gives the Cubs an MVP-caliber player who combines elite offense with elite defense at a key position, while still under relatively inexpensive team control.
Alvarez takes AL honors
In the American League, Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez won his first MVP award, also by unanimous vote, after years as one of the sport’s most feared hitters.
Alvarez, who has been 66% better than league average offensively over his career, posted a weighted runs created plus of 181 in 2026 — well above the league-average mark of 100 — after returning from an injury-hampered 2025.
He struck out 120 times but drew 142 walks or intentional walks, including a league-leading 33 intentional walks, more than double any other player in baseball. He hit 42 home runs with a .316/.432/.601 batting line, contributing an estimated 60 runs above average for the Astros, a mark the team’s coaching staff and front office have credited with helping push Houston into the postseason. His 1.033 OPS led all of baseball.
Advanced metrics suggest Alvarez may have been somewhat unlucky: his weighted on-base average of .429 was the best in the league, but his
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