Pete Crow-Armstrong absolutely torched the Reds this weekend, launching three dingers on Saturday alone right in front of Cubs legend Sammy Sosa. Sosa even told him he’d do it! This phenom center fielder isn’t just hot, he’s leapfrogged Shohei Ohtani as the heavy MVP favorite, and after this latest statement, it’s clear why.
PCA Is Going Absolutely Nuclear
Let’s talk about what Crow-Armstrong pulled off. Hitting three homers in one game is insane, but he wasn’t done! He added two more blasts on Sunday, giving him five for the weekend. The dude now has a mind-blowing 38 home runs on the season, a total that only Kyle Schwarber has topped in MLB. You hear that? Only Schwarber! He even joined legends like Sosa, Alfonso Soriano, Ryne Sandberg, and Andre Dawson as the only players in franchise history with at least 14 dingers in a single calendar month. Plus, he’s sitting there as MLB’s leader in wins above replacement. He’s got nine leadoff blasts this year, trailing only Soriano for the franchise record. Oh, and did I mention he also hit for the cycle this season? He’s doing it all, man.
It’s More Than Just the Long Ball
This isn’t just some power hitter, though. Crow-Armstrong is a complete force. He’s out there making highlight-reel defensive plays look easy, leading all outfielders in outs above average. He’s come up clutch with walk-off winners, too. And his speed? Forget about it! He’s second in MLB in both steals, swiping 32 bags, and triples, with seven to his name. The consistency and completeness of his offensive game might just be the secret sauce that puts him over Ohtani for the MVP, something no player has done since Aaron Judge’s historic 62-homer season back in 2022.
Ohtani’s MVP Hopes Face a Real Test
Honestly, who saw this coming a couple months ago? It felt impossible for anyone to push Ohtani for MVP. The guy seemed laser-focused on winning his first ever Cy Young as a full-time two-way player this year. By the end of May, he had a ridiculous 0.82 ERA through nine starts. But then early June hit with knee pain, and by the end of the month, his ERA had doubled. Even with his Cy Young chances fading, it was tough to imagine anyone getting in the way of him winning a fifth MVP. As of July 3, he still had a 1.79 ERA pitching and a .927 OPS hitting. But he hasn’t pitched since that date, thanks to left knee discomfort that needed an All-Star break injection and a recurring right bicep problem. These lingering issues are keeping him off the mound, even though he’s still a mainstay in the Dodger lineup. It means the path is wide open for Crow-Armstrong to truly grab that MVP trophy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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