Pete Crow-Armstrong just absolutely blew up the stat sheet on Saturday, blasting three home runs and driving in six runs to power the Chicago Cubs to a massive 17-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. This isn’t just another big game, folks. This was a statement, a full-on MVP-caliber performance that has the entire league buzzing and has solidified his case for National League MVP.
Sammy Sosa Called His Shot, Crow-Armstrong Delivered
You know it’s a special day when it starts with a legend. Crow-Armstrong, only 24, had not one, but two pregame chats with Sammy Sosa, who was at Wrigley Field for a ceremony celebrating Chicago’s 150 years as a National League franchise. Sosa, 57, saw Crow-Armstrong in the lobby and then again in the batting cage. What did Sosa say? “I want three out of you today. … I need three.” Talk about prophetic. Crow-Armstrong himself said, “And sure enough, I don’t know what he passed down to me there.” Well, whatever it was, it worked. The All-Star center fielder didn’t just hit three dingers, he collected four hits and scored four times, absolutely delighting the 39,597 fans who witnessed the show. Manager Craig Counsell was hyped, saying, “I think Pete’s having a wonderful season. It’s a lot of fun to watch. … We’re lucky to be a part of it.”
Ohtani’s MVP Streak Is In Real Danger
This isn’t just about one game, though. This performance is a serious challenge to Shohei Ohtani, who has owned the NL MVP award for the past two years. Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3 due to left knee soreness and a right biceps injury, limiting him to designated hitter duties for Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong has been an absolute beast, playing elite defense as one of baseball’s top defensive players *and* turning into a consistent threat at the plate. He’s batting .282 with 36 homers, 89 RBIs, and 32 steals in 136 games. This guy is doing it all. His teammate Alex Bregman summed it up perfectly, saying, “I think he can change the game in so many different ways. I think that one day it’s hitting three homers, the next day it’s making three diving plays or just running down balls that nobody else can go catch out there in center field.” Pete feels it too, saying, “Sometimes you feel it in your bones that you got a day like today in you and I did today.” He’s also figured out lefties, batting .315 with 11 homers and 34 RBIs against them this season, a huge jump from his .188 mark against southpaws last year. He credits “getting on the dish and learning the strike zone better.”
From Leadoff Bomb to MVP Chants
The highlights from Saturday were just ridiculous. His first homer was a 435-foot drive to right-center in the first inning, his eighth career leadoff bomb, and get this, all of them have come this season. He went deep again in the second, a two-run shot that kissed the foul pole in right. That was his fifth multi-homer game this season, the 11th of his career. Then, in the seventh, with runners on first and second, he launched a 444-foot monster to center off right-hander Tony Santillan. As he rounded the bases, the crowd roared, chanting “M-V-P! M-V-P!” You just know that sent shivers down everyone’s spine. Next up, this guy keeps showing why he deserves to be in the conversation for the game’s highest honor. The MVP race just got a whole lot hotter!
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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