CHICAGO -- The play of Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had the crowd at Wrigley Field chanting “M-V-P!” after an electrifying few minutes of dynamic defense and jaw-dropping power on Tuesday night. A rainout on Wednesday robbed fans of another chance to see the kid put on a show.
Crow-Armstrong wasted no time in captivating his audience again early in Thursday afternoon’s 8-7 loss to the Brewers, when he launched a homer into the right-field bleachers in the first inning. With that blast, the young center fielder reached 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season faster than anyone in team history.
“It’s an honor,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s just an honor to be able to do that.”
The two-run shot off Brewers righty Freddy Peralta -- on a 96.3 mph fastball at the top of the zone -- gave Crow-Armstrong 20 homers on the season, plus 23 steals, in 73 games played. Prior to Crow-Armstrong’s performance this year, Sammy Sosa was the fastest to a 20-20 season in Cubs history, doing so in his 96th game in 1994.
Crow-Armstrong is tied for the fourth-fastest to a 20-20 showing in MLB history, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.
“Let’s keep it going. He’s having a great season,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Those are nice round numbers, but let’s make them crooked again.”
The record belongs to Eric Davis, who needed just 46 games to achieve the feat for the 1987 Reds. Jose Canseco (68 games for the ‘98 Blue Jays) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (71 games for the ‘21 Padres) also got there faster. Crow-Armstrong and Ken Williams (1922, St. Louis Browns) both did so in 73 games played.
Each player listed in that group went on to reach a 30-30 season, but none crossed the 40-40 line. Davis ended with 37 homers and 50 steals, Canseco finished with 46 homers and 29 stolen bases, Tatis had 42 homers and 25 thefts and Williams ended with 39 home runs and 37 stolen bases.
At 23 years old, Crow-Armstrong is also the youngest player in Cubs history to compile a season with at least 20 homers and 20 steals. He is currently one of six players in the Majors with at least 20 home runs, while ranking third overall in steals.
“He’s a special talent,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “And it’s one thing to have special talent and it’s another to go out there and do it. That’s been such a really cool thing to be able to play with a guy that’s electric in every way, shape or form.”
Swanson (solo shot in the fourth) and Ian Happ (two-run blast in the seventh) also homered to help the Cubs get within striking distance in the later innings. Chicago had the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth, but Brewers closer Trevor Megill slammed the door, recording the final out with Crow-Armstrong looming on-deck.
“That’s how the game goes sometimes,” Swanson said. “I thought we made them earn the 27 outs.”
Crow-Armstrong’s standout play and energetic personality have led baseball fans everywhere to begin punching his name in balloting for the 95th All-Star Game. In the initial wave of results for Phase 1 of voting, Crow-Armstrong was the leading vote-getter among National League outfielders.
With Thursday’s showing, Crow-Armstrong is now slashing .270/.309/.558 with 39 extra-base hits, 60 RBIs and 54 runs scored. His 4.1 fWAR currently ranks first in the NL and third overall in the Majors.
During Tuesday’s 5-3 win over the Brewers, Crow-Armstrong made an incredible catch in the top of the eighth inning, snagging a ball off the bat of Brice Turang. The center fielder ranged deep into the left-center gap -- arguably ending in left -- to snare a ball that had a 5% catch probability.
Then in the bottom of the eighth, Crow-Armstrong launched a pitch off the right-field video board for a homer that soared a Statcast-projected 452 feet. It was both the longest homer and hardest-hit ball (111.5 mph) of the center fielder’s career. By the time he reached the dugout, the crowd had shifted chants of “P-C-A!” to the “MVP” cries.
“It feels like we’re talking about him every day, which is incredible,” Cubs starter Jameson Taillon said. “He’s doing something fun out there on the field every day. So, not super surprised [he reached 20-20 so fast]. He’s fun to watch. He’s super talented. He works hard. But it’s really cool to see him just step into that role and become a star.”