Pete Crow-Armstrong had a season worthy of an MVP, but his first taste of the 2026 postseason could not have gone much worse.

The Chicago Cubs superstar was held hitless throughout the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres, struggling to make an impact as the Padres executed a game plan that kept one of baseball's best players quiet.

After the incredible regular season PCA put together, his October struggles came as a major surprise.

Crow-Armstrong is expected to take home the 2026 NL MVP award after establishing himself as one of the biggest stars in the sport. He also made his first All-Star team and represented the United States in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year.

Yet, when the Cubs needed him most, Crow-Armstrong was unable to get anything going against San Diego.

Former Cubs star Anthony Rizzo was recently asked whether the disappointing playoff performance could motivate Crow-Armstrong heading into 2027, via Casino.ca.

Rizzo believes it could, but he also offered some perspective on just how quickly playoff struggles can become magnified. “He knows what it takes to play at that level.”

“October baseball is October baseball,” Rizzo said. “That's the beauty of this wild card game: it's must-see TV. The downside of it is if you have two bad games, it's under a magnifying glass.”

That's especially true for a player coming off the type of season Crow-Armstrong just had.

Rizzo pointed out that Crow-Armstrong undoubtedly had difficult games during the regular season, but those struggles did not receive nearly the same level of attention as his performance against the Padres. Still, Rizzo believes the experience can serve as motivation.

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“The Cubs now are going back-to-back years in the playoffs,” Rizzo said. “It's an addicting feeling that you want to keep going on.”

That could ultimately be the biggest takeaway for Crow-Armstrong. One bad playoff series does not erase everything he accomplished during an incredible 2026 campaign. If anything, experiencing postseason disappointment could give the 24-year-old another reason to come back even better in 2027.

As Rizzo put it, though, superstars usually don't need much motivation. They already know what it takes to reach the highest level.

Crow-Armstrong now knows exactly what October baseball feels like. The next step is making sure his next postseason looks nothing like his first.