Cubs' Pete-Crow-Armstrong Just Earned the Ultimate Honor From His Peers

The Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to take home some major awards.

Sep 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) acknowledges the crowd after stealing second base during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. It was his 40th stolen base. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Cubs season has been over for weeks, but Pete Crow-Armstrong keeps winning.

The Cubs' superstar continues to get recognized for his momentous 2026 campaign. While many expect him to be named the league's NL MVP in the very near future, he received an almost equally high honor on Wednesday morning. The MLB Players Association officially released its award winners for 2026, and Crow-Armstrong took home two different pieces of hardware.

Not only was the 24-year-old named the National League's Outstanding Player, but he was also coined the official Player of the Year. Of course, this recognizes the first victory for Crow-Armstrong in either category. As far as Player of the Year winners go, Crow-Armstrong joins a recent list that includes Cal Raleigh, Aaron Judge, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Shohei Ohtani.

The Player Choice Awards have been given out since 1992. Winners, unsurprisingly, are determined by a vote of active MLB players. With that in mind, this title holds a little extra meaning, as Crow-Armstrong has received direct acknowledgment from his peers.

Indeed, there is undoubtedly a difference between captivating the general public and earning the respect of those who share the field. If anyone understands how impressive Crow-Armstrong's 2026 season truly was, it would be the guys suiting up alongside him.

The MLBPA released a video in honor of Crow-Armstrong's win. While the man of the hour shares a few words, he's also doused in compliments from his fellow Player Choice Awards winners. Zach Wheeler, Yordan Alvarez, Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Schlitter, Kevin McGonigle, and Sal Stewart all tip their cap to Crow-Armstrong. Misiorowski praised him for his bat-to-ball skills, Schlitter said he is the MVP of the entire league, and Stewart referred to him as the best competitor he knows.

It's hard to disagree with any of it after a year when PCA had a league-leading 10.6 WAR (via Fangraphs), had a .943 OPS, and became just the seventh player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and record 40 stolen bases.

All eyes will now turn toward the official NL MVP award, which will be announced following the conclusion of the 2026 season on November 12. To be sure, Crow-Armstrong is expected to take home at least a couple more trophies before then, including a Gold Glove and an All-MLB Team recognition. Nevertheless, the league's MVP honor will put a final exclamation point on what has been one of the most memorable seasons in Cubs and MLB history.

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