CHICAGO – Pete Crow-Armstrong has piled up the historic feats and footnotes throughout this season, compiling the type of campaign that Cubs manager Craig Counsell said fans will be telling their grandkids about someday. The star center fielder has added yet another exclusive club to the growing list.
On Thursday afternoon, Crow-Armstrong stole second base in the first inning against the Marlins at Wrigley Field to officially enter the 40-40 Club. He is only the seventh player in Major League history to have at least 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single tour, and is the first in Cubs history to do so.
“Everything Pete has done this year has been really incredible,” Counsell said. “I know that’s a milestone, but I think we’ve seen it all already this year, actually, you know? And I think the people here have celebrated him in a really cool way. I’ve never seen it before, actually.”
Counsell noted how Cubs fans have been chanting Crow-Armstrong’s initials since he broke into the big leagues.
During his debut game at Coors Field in Denver in 2023, the “P-C-A” chants also made their MLB debut. It has happened in road cities throughout the big leagues over the past few years, gaining volume as his star power has climbed. They were there in the Tokyo Dome in Japan for the opening series last year. And they are a constant at Wrigley Field during his at-bats or after steals or dynamic plays in center.
This season, they have evolved throughout the summer, becoming cries of “M-V-P” as Crow-Armstrong has blossomed into the game’s best all-around player this year.
“I haven’t seen somebody’s name chanted since he’s been in the league, really,” Counsell said. “It’s really something to perform with all that on a regular basis.”
In the process, Crow-Armstrong’s performance has vaulted him into some elite company.
He joined Shohei Ohtani (54 homers and 59 steals in 2024), Ronald Acuña Jr. (41 homers and 73 steals in ‘23), Alfonso Soriano (46 homers and 41 steals in ‘06), Alex Rodriguez (42 homers and 46 steals in 1998), Barry Bonds (42 homers and 40 steals in ‘96), and Jose Canseco (42 homers and 40 steals in ‘88) as the only players to have a 40-40 season in MLB history.
“I think it’s super cool,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “There are only so many guys in the game that can even think about accomplishing it. [He’s only] the seventh person ever to do it. The list is pretty amazing, so I think it is neat.”
Crow-Armstrong was already the first player in Cubs history to have at least 40 homers and 30 steals. The center fielder is only the second player – along with Sammy Sosa (1993 and ‘95) – in Cubs history to have a 30-30 showing. Crow-Armstrong also went 30-30 last year, and also became the only Cubs player to add 30 doubles to the mix. He did that again this season, too.
At the moment, Crow-Armstrong has 45 home runs, putting him alongside Sosa (five times), Ernie Banks (twice), Hack Wilson, Andre Dawson, Dave Kingman and Derrek Lee as the only Cubs to hit at least that many in a season. Crow-Armstrong is the first to do so since Lee had 46 in his 2005 campaign.
Crow-Armstrong also topped Billy Williams’ record (42 homers in 1970) for the most homers in a season in team history by a left-handed batter.
“It’s the best position-player season I’ve ever seen in my career,” Hoyer said. “He’s going to win the MVP. He’s going to win the Hank Aaron Award. He’s going to win the Platinum Glove. To me, that’s more impressive than any kind of triple crown that we would talk about.”
What has it been like to witness for Counsell?
“I’m kind of a fan. You’re part of it, right?” said the manager. “You’re just part of enjoying it. And I think it’s the things you remember about the job, moments like that and moments that he’s provided all of us.”