The MVP-caliber season for Pete Crow-Armstrong continues on as he just accomplished a feat at a very fast rate. On Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers, the speedy outfielder smashed another home run. This homer marks the 20th of the season, which puts him in rare company.
Crow-Armstrong is now the fourth fastest player to accomplish a 20-20 in a single season, smashing 20 homers and stealing 20 bases. It took him just 73 games, putting him right behind Fernando Tatis Jr., who did it in 71 games back in 2021. The record will stand for a very long time, as Eric Davis did it in just 46 games in 1987. We may not see a hot start like that ever again. In 1998, Jose Canseco did it the second fastest in 68 games.
What Crow-Armstrong is doing is great for the game. The Chicago Cubs needed another rising star in the outfield, and acquiring him from the New York Mets for Javier Baez proved to be a win for Chicago. He is making plays in the field and at the dish. The outfielder is roughly 180 pounds and has elite power with his swing. Only six hitters reached 20 home runs this season, and Crow-Armstrong becomes the 7th. Crow-Armstrong is on pace for 40+ home runs this year, and his 4.3 WAR is the best in the National League and second-best to only Aaron Judge (5.2). The next highest WAR in the NL is Shohei Ohtani and Tatis Jr. at 3.4.
Article Continues BelowThe Cubs need Crow-Armstrong to continue his elite season to further establish the Cubs as the top team in the NL Central Division. At 45-28, the Cubs are 6.5 games up on both the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. Led by the young star, the Cubs have the best run difference in the MLB at +107.
The Brewers may gain a game on the Cubs on Thursday, as they are currently winning 5-2 in Chicago in the bottom of the 4th inning.